Good Voices
by Sheankelor
Summary: How can a simple change, a tiny consideration, change everything? Severus Snape doesn't lose his temper during Harry's Occlumency lessons when a voice he hadn't heard in years tells him not to. How does Harry interpret this? How does Snape react to the changes that ensue?
1. Chapter 1

_AN: Many thanks to Yen for running through this. Also, thanks to a special young lady who described just what this feels like. _

"One more time, Potter. Do try to keep me out." Snape raised his wand. "One – two – three – _Legilimens!_" Riffling quickly through the swarm of thoughts and memories, he took only the time to identify their negative potential before moving on. He didn't want to know more about Potter than he already did, and this was a gross invasion of privacy that neither he nor the boy truly wanted. The faster his student learned to push him out, the faster they'd be done.

A very negative feeling memory came under his figurative fingers. Pushing it to the forefront, he was surprised to see it was the when Potter saved him from the Dementors near the Black Lake. _'Saving me might be the negative part, but surely this should be a happy memory – he saved his godfather and produced a corporeal Patronus.'_

He could feel the Dementors coming but before they were completely there a shield spell hit him, pushing him back out of Potter's mind. Praise was grudgingly on his lips, when that same shield pushed past his own barriers – already weakened so he could cast the Legilimens spell – and into his mind.

Moving quickly, acting more on instinct than anything else, Severus quickly shoved Potter to the section of his mind that he kept ready for Voldemort. He'd deal with the fallout of the boy seeing him as weak later, but it was better than him stumbling across anything else in his mind.

Once the boy was there, he garnered his strength. "Enough!" He shouted and pushed Potter out, not expecting him to stumble back into his shelving unit, a few bottles falling off to smash on the stone floor. A quick Reparo repaired the damage and his anger started to boil. _'How dare this child-' _

'_Don't even _think_ to take this out on him, Severus!'_

The voice stopped him, his anger dissolving in the wake of the shock of hearing Danny's voice again.

'_He did just as you told him to do – he got you out of his mind.'_ It was Clarence.

'_Growl at him or something. The boy is about to go into a panic attack with you just standing there,' _Oliver said almost coldly.

"Potter, sit down," Severus directed the teen towards the most uncomfortable chair in the room. Green eyes watched him warily as Potter complied. "A shield spell? Explain your logic behind it."

He was itching just to keep practising, to see if the boy could reproduce the effects, but with the voices back, he was wary.

'_We were never really gone,' _Ty said softly.

Potter rolled his wand between his fingers, his eyes on his knees. "It just seemed right. I didn't want the Dementors to get any closer, so I was trying to stop them." He looked up, not quite meeting Severus' eyes, "How did it work though? Where did I go? What were those images?"

"I shall be investigating how it worked." Severus leant against his desk as Clarence prompted him to finish answering Potter's questions. "You pushed too hard and ended up in my mental safe room."

Potter's jaw sagged slightly.

"It's a very dangerous thing to do – an accomplished Occlumens could trap you inside as easily as they can push you out." Severus watched as fear touched the teen's face. With a tap of his wand against his thigh, he straightened up. "You may go, Potter. Continue practising clearing your mind and possibly try using the intent of the Shield Charm around your mind as you go to sleep."

An uncertain look later, Potter was out his door. Severus wasn't far behind him after locking up, his own steps taking him quickly to his chambers. '_Hopefully, no one will need me tonight.'_ With that thought, he sank into his armchair.

Years ago, when he attempted to gain a semblance of control over one thing in his life, he tackled the only thing he could. Albus made him a spy, Voldemort made him a killer, they both made him a teacher, so he decided it was time to organize his mind.

He grew up reading Sherlock Holmes and worked his summers in offices organizing files and books. Using that and any bit of knowledge he could glean from psychology books, he faced his childhood friends – the voices in his head.

According to the psychology books he was supposed to accept them as nothings, as figments of his imagination, as part of a mental disorder, an auditory hallucination. But when it came down to it, he couldn't. Ty was still the emotional Ty, Oliver was still the calculating, ambitious Oliver, Danny was still the fun-loving, playful Danny. Clarence was just as knowledgeable as he'd always been. Since he was two they'd played with him – albeit in his head – when he was in trouble, when he was shunned, when he needed a distraction. They'd helped him understand things he'd never thought he could, helped him in exams and in class. Danny and Ty had taken his falling out with Lily hard, Oliver and Clarence had helped all three of them get through it. Clarence forced him to face the cold hard truth about Voldemort and Oliver helped him find a way to make things right. Danny and Ty had looked forward to teaching at Hogwarts.

Severus had mentally built a house instead of Holmes' library. Each room was given a purpose and within each room, he'd constructed ways of storing the memories. Then each room was given a keeper, one of his childhood friends. He'd shut them up in the house, closed the door on them, over fifteen years ago.

Standing now in his mental landscape, he stared at the house. It had once been a basic row house with fuzzy houses on either side. Now, one of the fuzzy side houses had become his mental safe room, actually rooms. Each spot held different memories he'd allowed Voldemort to view and the living room was where he always stored the information that he needed to have ready for a meeting. The other fuzzy row house was no more – his was now the last one in the strip and it was larger. A porch had been created and a garden filled with flowers and potion ingredients spread from it wrapping around the house. He couldn't remember making the changes.

Sitting in four rockers on the porch were his friends. They'd grown since he'd last seen them, as he himself had. Ty was still short, his platinum hair cut close and light blue eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses. Danny was sitting next to him, his feet tucked on the bottom rung as the chair rocked back and forth. He wasn't quite as tall as Severus was, but his black hair and dark eyes had him looking the closest like him. Both Danny and Ty were wearing jeans, Danny's top a t-shirt, and Ty's a rich red button-down. Oliver, dressed in black trousers and white button-up, had his rocking chair pushed back so far it wouldn't rock. Hazel eyes looked over him and a thin white hand pushed brown hair back behind an ear. Clarence held a book but wasn't looking at it. His dark blue eyes watched him with anticipation, a smile flitting around his lips. Dark auburn hair – so dark it almost couldn't be called red – glinted in the sunlight that was flooding the area. There was an empty fifth rocker sitting next to him, right in the middle of the group.

"Clarence explained why we needed to stay in the house, Severus," Danny called, "But I couldn't let you hurt your student anymore. I'm sorry, but …" he huffed, "but it's not what teachers are supposed to do."

Severus caught Danny's glance at Ty, but the blond kept his lips pressed closed. He approached the porch with a hint of trepidation. Could he send them away again?

Oliver shook his head and pointed at the rocker. "Sit down, Severus, we've got to talk."

Eighteen years of habit had him sitting, but instead of meekly listening, he raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"We've helped the best we could from the house," Oliver let his chair rock forwards, bringing him closer to Severus. "Clarence and I sort the information that needs to be in the next door living room. Danny shifts the childhood memories in and out so they aren't the same. Ty keeps all your emotions under control, only letting out ones that are needed at the time. We've got it down. Now, it's time for us to help you in other ways."

Danny jumped in, "I get it, we used to be too noisy – Voldemort or Albus would have learnt about us and way too much information if you hadn't given us rooms. But we've learnt how not to be noticed."

"Which means we can help you again," Clarence finished for him. "And you need it. You're missing too many things."

"I am?" Severus leant back when all four nodded.

Ty grinned, "I'm not going to tell you what you're missing emotionally – you don't need the burden or baggage it can cause. If there's something you need to handle though, I'll let you know."

A touch of relief coursed through Severus. The last thing he needed was to revert to the overemotional teen he'd been.

"But you're not noticing things about Potter – Harry," Danny said, "and things that are going on in your classroom."

"And there are things you can do about Umbridge, but I haven't been able to tell you," Oliver added.

Clarence just smiled.

Severus sighed deeply, dropping his head back onto the rocker's seatback. "You four are a symptom of a mental disorder. I'm literally sick in the head."

Clarence rested a hand on his arm, "Yes, we are, but we don't tell you to do bad things and we help you fix the things you do. You can think of us as your conscience if you want. You just have four instead of one. You've been following the psychology journals, you know that they are leaving voices like us alone nowadays. If we are not causing you harm or distracting you, then you're allowed to have voices in your head."

"If we were personality fragments, it'd be different," Ty shifted forwards, balancing his rocker on the front curves. "Then we'd need to be healed back into one entity. It would be extremely dangerous for you as a spy, teacher, and brewer to have multiple 'yous' with different names running about. But as it is, you're all you and we are … us."

Severus studied the porch roof, his eyes tracing the slates while his mind churned. Could he do this? Could he lose control of his mind?

"It'll be fine, you'll be in as much control as always. We've always been here helping," Oliver said. "We will just be a bit more direct in getting you to understand what things are, mean, or you should do. Like earlier with Potter."

"You would have lost your temper," Ty scowled, "I did. He wasn't _supposed_ to be in that house."

"But I was able to stop you," Danny said. "He didn't deserve your temper. We've been paying attention during these lessons."

Severus looked cautiously at him, "Paying attention?"

Clarence gave him a sombre look. "I've catalogued the memories you've scanned over. When you're ready, you can view them."

"I was attempting not to invade his privacy!"

"But needs must – we have to know more about this child so we can protect him," Oliver cut off his rant.

"He's not a child," Ty mumbled. He held up his hands when Severus glared at him.

"From what we've gathered from the collected information, Harry does best at protecting others, not himself." Clarence drew his attention back. "In the memory you used last, he was protecting you and … _that_ man. His shield was influenced by the memory."

Danny frowned, his eyes darting towards Oliver, "Oliver pointed out that at the end of every year Harry wins because he is trying to protect a friend. First-year was his Weasley and Granger, Second – Miss Weasley and his Weasley, Third – his Weasley at first, then Black, Fourth – Diggory."

"So, you need to work with this with his Occlumency," Ty continued for him, "He needs to see that him not learning it is hurting his friends."

Severus let his eyes close while he tried to decide what to do. The rocker moved smoothly on the porch as his mind felt empty. They'd hushed, and all he could hear was the movement of wood against wood and occasionally a shoe tapped.

Opening his eyes, he surveyed the garden before looking at each one in turn. "You may remain, no therapy, no locking you up, but please, for the love of Merlin, don't let Albus or the Dark Lord know."

§§§§§

Harry sank onto his bed, feeling worn out but not as tired as he had the last lesson with Snape. Rubbing a hand over his face, he flopped back. _'I was sure I was a goner when I broke into Snape's mind. I just knew he'd either kill me or make me wish I was dead.' _He still didn't know what to make of Snape sitting him down and talking to him. He'd never seen Snape act like a teacher, but this is what it reminded Harry of. Someone being a teacher. _'Snape hates me. He doesn't want to be my teacher, he doesn't want me around at all. But, he didn't seem to hate me at that moment. He was curious, he … that was gentle for him.'_

Staring up at the red canopy above his bed, he ran through the last lesson through his mind. It started as normal, then he cast the Shield Charm and saw the inside of Snape's mind, Snape look like he was about to lose it, but caught himself, told Harry to sit and they talked like a student and a teacher would.

'_Was that really Snape's memories? Those weren't very nice, at least two of them weren't, and if he was locked in his bedroom like I am, then none of them are. At least he had access to his wand.'_ Crushing the spurt of jealousy easily, Harry turned back to the memories. Snape hadn't looked pampered like Malfoy, he had looked more like Harry felt he did when he wasn't at Hogwarts. Second-hand or more clothes, bullied, and lonely. But, unlike Harry, his robes were also second-hand clothes, looking even more threadbare than Ron's. _'What does he see when he looks at me? Can he see that I know how that feels?'_ His fingers brushed over his uniform – his brand new uniform from Madam Malkin's. His new books, his new trunk, his owl ... Everything Snape could see about him was new except his shoes, and honestly, how many people actually looked at shoes? _'How would I look at someone like that?'_ Malfoy flashed to mind and he shuddered, and then wondered that Ron even wanted to be friends with him.

'_But I'm not stuck up, mean, cruel for no reason. Malfoy is, Snape is... Except he wasn't tonight. Why? Nothing's changed except I pushed him out so hard I ended up in his mind.'_ Nothing changed except he succeeded. _'Could that be it? I wasn't succeeding so he thought I wasn't worth the effort? It's not like I'm Malfoy, who's good at everything first try. Given everything, so I don't have to work for it... Except, if you look from the outside, I look like Malfoy. But, but I'm not mean!'_

No, he wasn't, but if he really thought about it, he was disrespectful to a teacher. Would he act like he did in Snape's class in any other teacher's room? No, he wouldn't. He wouldn't talk back to McGonagall or Flitwick like that. He wouldn't halfway do his work in Sprout's. No, those classes he did his essays, he answered them with a respectful tone, he tried not to speak to his friends, he took notes. _'But, Snape started it! Our very first class, he disrespected me when I was being respectful!'_ He'd given up right then and there on the professor. Everyone in Gryffindor had warned all the First Years that Snape was mean, Snape was cruel, Snape hated them and would do anything to belittle them. The current First Years were told the same thing.

No Gryffindor was allowed to make their own first impression of Potions class. Harry curled his hands into fists. No Gryffindor was allowed to make their own uncoloured first impression of Professor Snape. How would have he acted if he hadn't been told about Snape before that first day in class?

'_I'd been upset, mad that he was picking on me, but I would have not been so cheeky as to point out Hermione. I would have studied harder so I'd know that answers next time. I'd been the exact opposite. Instead, I knew it wasn't worth trying because that's what I knew from the others.'_

Slamming his fist back into the bed, Harry felt a coil of dread, of uncertainty. Did he bring these last five years on himself? If he'd just gone on to do what needed to be done, gone on and acted like he would have if McGonagall had done similar, if he'd shown he'd been willing to learn from his mistakes, would have Snape treated him better? He wasn't super horrible to Hermione, not very nice either, but she associated with him and Ron. He wasn't nice to Goyle or Crabbe since they associated with Malfoy. They'd actually done nothing but stand around, but he still was mean to them.

'_The one time he could see I was trying, the one time he could tell I wasn't just there taking up air and making it barely through, and he controlled his temper. I could see it. He was furious and then it was like something hit him and he calmed down. He treated me like … like Flitwick would. He asked questions, he said he'd look into things, he sent me away with the most solid piece of advice that I've had on this since the first day.'_

His fists relaxed and Harry pushed up off the bed. He needed to go see everyone else. He wasn't sure if he was ready to run his revelation by Hermione, but he had a feeling that maybe, just maybe, he'd be stopping people next year from giving the Snape talk.

§§§§§

The week went by slowly. Severus kept expecting his fellow teachers to call him insane, crazy, mental. He expected Albus to take one look in his eyes and send him to St Mungo's. None of that happened. Lessons went as normal, but now Oliver and Clarence were periodically mentioning things about his students he hadn't previously registered. Danny complimented him on his use of voice in the classroom to control the students and not having them just writing all the time.

In Potter's class, Severus was shocked to see the Golden Boy obviously trying. He'd put some effort into learning techniques and the ingredients. It showed. There was still a lot to polish, but a small kernel of hope swelled. Maybe, just maybe the boy was not just a waste of space. He didn't compliment Potter, but he didn't criticise as much either. And when he did, it was more constructive.

Danny and Oliver convinced him to avoid Longbottom's vicinity for the rest of the week. Oliver wanted to test if the entire problem with his potions was his fear of Severus. He watched the area like a hawk, his students were under his care and he needed to be able to react, but he left the bumbling Gryffindor alone.

The next Monday, Severus sat as his desk, looking at the Fifth Year Gryffindor/Slytherin potions set neatly in a line across it. Longbottom's was passable. His from last week weren't, but the ones from the beginning of the avoidance strategy till now had been a steady improvement. There were also fewer exploding cauldrons. The teen was settling down, focusing, and doing better. His eyes shifted to Potter's potion. Once again, Potter had shown signs of trying. The potion was even better than his last one. Potter's attempt to do better also infected his Weasley. They just needed a strong remediation in the class and there'd be a chance for them on the OWLs.

'_How do you remediate someone you can't even go near?'_

'_Assign him a tutor,' _Oliver said. _'Figure out some way to get some remediation classes tucked in for NEWT and OWL years and then have someone help him.'_

'_Only problem is, Gryffindor boys are always so exhausted. It'd be worse to push them further.'_ Clarence sighed.

'_Then I'll start drugging the entire dorm.'_ Severus joked then picked up his quill. Uncorking the first phial, he began grading them.

That evening, in his office, he looked closely at Potter, spotting the signs of exhaustion. "Have you had any success with clearing your mind and the shield?"

Green eyes darted to the floor. Rage started to build. _'He's not even trying!'_

'_Remember, Severus, he wants to protect his friends. Ask him what he's getting out of the connection. Don't blow yet.'_ Danny whispered.

Drawing a calming breath, Severus pointed to a chair and leant up against his desk. With as placid of an expression as he could manage, he asked, "Potter, do you want to learn this?"

The dark head shot up, green eyes widening, "Si … sir?"

"I asked if you want to learn this. If not, what is the advantage of not knowing it?" Severus waited, paying attention to every tick the teen gave.

Hands clasped and unclasped, "I want to learn."

Severus nodded once, "And the advantage with continuing the connection?"

"Well, it helped with Mr Weasley. We were able to find him in time because my dream." Potter didn't look up during the entire statement.

"So, even though you are not getting enough sleep, it's okay because you might could help someone?"

Green eyes darted up to him before dropping to the floor and a quick nod was given.

"What if I told you that your not getting enough sleep, your dorm mates not having enough or good sleep because of your dreams, is keeping certain professors from teaching you higher level spells and potions? That because we cannot trust you to be coherent in our classes, we cannot prepare you as much as we'd like?" Severus asked silkily.

"Sir? What? Why?" Potter sputtered.

"Professor Flitwick has covered the material you need for your OWLs and you're now reviewing, yes?" When Potter nodded, Severus continued, "He pushed the classes through in hopes of covering other material. Things that another ... professor is skimping on, but can fall into his class' domain. Things he cannot teach a sleep-deprived group of students. And he is not the only professor who has done this."

Potter raised a shoulder, not quite a shrug, and confusion marred his expression. "I've not woken anyone up at night. I mean, yeah, I've been dreaming, but it's just a hall with lots of doors and I am trying to get to one in particular. I don't know what will happen when I get there, but it's not like I am waking up screaming or anything."

'_Voldemort's caught him with a mystery.' _Ty scoffed. _'Break it for him. Let him know about the prophecy and get it all out in the open. Explain that Voldemort wants it and can't get it so he's tempting Harry. I mean, that's why Mr Weasley was there in the first place – to protect the room.'_

'_Albus wouldn't agree with this.'_ Severus thought back.

'_Albus told you to teach him and this is preventing it.'_ Oliver rejoined, _'And you might as well let him know that if Voldemort is reaching out to him, there's a chance he can be affecting the entire dorm. At least messing up their sleep.'_

Severus sat on his desktop and leant forwards slightly bracing himself on his hands. "A hallway with lots of doors and you are hunting for just one?" Potter nodded slowly. "Sounds like the place they found Mr Weasley in. He was sent to guard an item that the Dark Lord wants, one that he has since discovered that no one but you and he can touch. As it is in the Ministry of Magic, you, Mr Potter, have the best chance of retrieving it.

"This concerns me more now. Before, you had a small connection with the Dark Lord, but now it seems as if he is attempting to tempt you to get something that is well protected out of that protection. If he is reaching across the link between you, it could be what is harming your dorm mates' rest."

Potter stared at him, fear more pronounced on his face until he shook himself and whispered, "What does … he want?"

Narrowing his eyes, Severus came to a decision. Potter was after knowledge. He wanted it to protect his friends. "I can only tell you that, Mr Potter, once your mind is guarded."

Disbelief mingled with hope before resolve settled on the teen's face. "A shield? That is what I should imagine around my mind?"

Severus let the barest tips of his lips lift. "It would be a start. If I remember correctly, the shield spell you used last time was laced with the energy of the Patronus spell as well."

Potter's eyes widened. "How?"

"You were thinking about it when you cast the spell." Severus continued, "The Patronus is a magical protector or defender. Yes, most people associate it with defending against Dementors, but that is not all it can protect from. Dementors suck your happiness away – to do so they must be able to pull it from your mind. So, it stands to reason that a Patronus infused Shield Spell should keep out things that manipulate your mind, especially ones you perceive as evil or dark."

Potter drew a deep breath and then straightened, "Okay, sir, let's try this."

'_He wants to learn!'_ Severus stood up, drawing his wand at the same time.

'_Well, yes, you gave him ample reasons to do so.' _ Oliver's condescending tone almost made Severus raise an eyebrow.

'_Reasons that make sense to him.' _ Danny chimed in.

'_Be quiet, all of you.' _And to Severus' surprise, they did.

"In your mind, hold the feel of both the Shield Spell and the Patronus Charm. Quiet your mind enough that that feeling engulfs it." He waited for a heartbeat. "On the count of three, Mr Potter. One … two … three... _Legilimens._"

There was actual resistance this time. Severus could sense the attempt being made, could almost see the wisps of the Patronus charm, but then he was past them and rifling through the teen's memories once again. Selecting the one where Potter first met Dementors, he was pleased to be pushed out, the mental shield forming behind him.

"Keep it up, Mr Potter, memorize that feeling." Severus gave him a moment. "Once again, on three."

He counted and cast, and this time the resistance was greater as were the wisps of silvery-blue. He still passed through, but didn't have time to hunt for a memory before he was pushed out. Sitting back, he tucked his wand away. "Hold that feeling, and calm the rest of your mind. Allow your thoughts to drift away, don't focus on them, don't force them away, just let them go."

Potter's eyes were partially glazed over and he looked ready to drop to sleep where he sat.

"Do you think you can remember the feeling, Mr Potter?" Severus waited.

"Yes, I think so," Potter finally answered.

"Then let it go."

A shudder passed through the teen's frame and his eyes became clearer.

"Now, head back to your dorm and pull that feeling up before you go to sleep, Mr Potter, and maybe your friends will sleep well tonight."

Severus watched as Potter left with a quickly mumbled thank you.

§§§§§

A week later, Severus watched the door close behind the boy.

_'He's not a boy, Severus!' _ Ty huffed.

_'Teen then,'_ Severus settled on his desktop. _'But it doesn't change that he is only putting so much effort into this. He's blocking his mind, but it's still too easy to get in. His ability is just slightly better than it was two lessons ago when he got the mental shield to work.'_

_'Occlumency is hard,'_ said Clarence.

_'He should still be better.'_

_'He's pushing you out, just what he thinks you want.'_ Danny spoke up, _'You need to let him know what's expected.'_

Oliver chimed in, _'So, threaten his friends – or rather his ability to safeguard them.'_

Severus nodded even as the other three screeched at Oliver.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Many thanks to Yen!

Harry sat next to Luna and across from Susan and Hannah. "Were you warned about the professors as a First-Year before you took their classes?"

All three nodded and Luna rested her chin on her hand.

Hannah sat up, tucking her hands in her lap and said in a prim voice, "McGonagall and Snape are strict – make sure you do all their work, study, and don't play in their classes. Flitwick won't let you cast for a while, be thorough and practice practice practice. Sprout should be listened closely to, don't forget your gloves, and she'll be a touch mothering, accept it."

Terry Boot dropped onto the seat next to her while shaking his head, "The first two are right – Snape and McGonagall don't take disrespect well at all, but Flitwick will let you smile and pal up with your friends as long as you're working. For Sprout, make sure you read the book, for she is sure to ask a question or five to see if you had."

Luna nodded and turned her eyes towards Harry, "How about in Gryffindor, Harry?"

Harry didn't have a chance to answer, Ron did instead.

"McGonagall is strict but will listen, Sprout's class you'll get messy and pay attention to the plants, Flitwick is good, he'll help if he can. Snape is a mean git out for us, nothing you can do is going to be good enough."

Terry blinked, "Woah, that's harsh. The part about Snape – what First Year's even going to try in his class after that?"

"Slytherin Gryffindor potions class rumours suddenly make a lot of sense." Susan added, her eyes wide, "I mean if I was told that, I doubt I'd have tried in there. Then all sorts of mischief could be done by my housemates and me, making Snape watch us more closely, take more points, and missing everything that Ravenclaw did just because he was trying to keep a better eye on us."

Terry nodded, "And all the things we'd been warned about would come true. Whereas, if we'd just tried, listened, didn't play, and treated him with respect, it'd been different."

"It's known Snape hates Gryffindor," Hannah relaxed and rested her hands on the table, "I doubt he'd have treated the house quite as fairly as the others, but … but I doubt the lack of respect or trying by the House helped at all. And if this has been going on for a while, then he has a preconceived notion about the House that keeps getting reinforced."

"Making an ugly cycle," Luna completed.

§§§§§

"Mate, does that sound like what I think it does?" Ron sank onto the sofa, ignoring the fire flaring up as he did. "Are we making the Snape/Gryffindor issue worse? Would he actually treat us better if we tried and such?"

Harry sank down next to him, "I think so. I mean, the last few weeks we've been trying and he's already treating us different. He … he … during our remedial lessons, I tried something and it worked. I could tell he was about to explode into an over the top temper – worse than anything in class – and he stopped cold. It's like he realized exactly what I did, so instead of going through the normal rote motions, he literally changed tracks. He asked me to sit down and then he became a _teacher_. That's when I decided to try in class – to give it an honest effort. He noticed, the very first time, and he changed. Not all nice and squishy, but … well, you've had to notice. He's been doing the same to you since I've kind of dragged you into testing it."

Ron nodded, "I didn't know why, but you're right. Not towards-the-Slytherins nice, but … not as horrible. He's acting wary – like he is prepared for anything. And he's also treating Neville different. Like he's testing something too."

Harry bit his bottom lip. "I just hope it lasts, mate."

§§§§§

That night in Snape's office, Harry felt Snape enter his mind. Focusing on the feeling of the shield, he pushed the man out. It was getting easier and easier.

"Mr Potter, you need to prevent me from entering your mind, not just remove me from it." Snape leant against his desk, his wand resting against his thigh. "Shall we try again?"

Harry nodded and immediately pulled up the mental shield. Snape moved through it easily. Harry pushed him out as his memories were being shuffled around.

"Again, Mr Potter," Snape didn't give him much time to prepare and the results were the same.

"Mr Potter, you like to protect your friends," Snape waited until he nodded before continuing. "Then, as incentive to succeed, I will deduct points from your friends every time I witness a rule broken."

Anger boiled up, but Harry throttled it down. "And what about the Slytherins?"

The man smirked, "That wouldn't be much of an incentive, now would it? Now, get ready."

This time, Harry built the shield as thick as he could, imbuing it with as much of the Patronus feeling as it could hold.

"_Legilimens._"

Harry fought the intrusion, trying to identify where it was coming from so he could push back at that point.

He failed.

Snape was inside, riffling around.

"Five points from Miss Granger and another five from Mr Weasley."

Harry breathed hard, knowing he had to get something there fast, something to stop Snape from seeing anything more. A bird of prey took shape and mantled over the memories before flying into Snape's probe, wings spread wide, to prevent him from seeing more while forcing him out.

Harry stared, wondering what would happen next. Snape's expression was contemplative, and then he was attacked again. Harry sent the same bird after him again, blocking the probe just as it entered. It left wispy silvery-blue trails behind it.

Snape sat on his desk, his black eyes watching Harry. "A mental corporeal Patronus. Excellent, Mr Potter. I would recommend keeping it around on the edges of your mind."

Harry blinked, trying not to breathe too hard from the effort of pushing the other man out. "But, where would a bird rest? It's a Shield Charm around my mind."

The professor smirked as he gestured towards the door. "Then I would visualize a hedge for the bird just outside of the shield."

Harry nodded slightly as he stood up. He might could do that.

"Oh, and Mr Potter," Snape broke into his thoughts, "please give Professor Flitwick a copy of all that you've accomplished in your Defence Association. If you have a record of who was there and what they've succeeded at, that information would help him plan your upcoming lessons. I would highly recommend cancelling any further meetings with the group. The High Inquisitor has begun a search."

Walking away from the office, Harry knew he'd have to get the scrolls from Hermione to give to Flitwick.

It wasn't until he settled in bed that night that he wondered if his actual Patronus had changed. He reached for his wand, but then stopped. _'Not tonight. If it has, it has. I don't care to know yet.'_

§§§§§

Mandatory Remedial Tutoring for all OWL and NEWT students was suggested by Babbling and she was immediately second by Vector and Burbage. But even still, Severus could detect Filius' hand in the plan and wondered when they had the chance to develop it.

"Tutoring? Why do they need that?" Umbridge simpered at them, her eyes sharp, ready to take their reply and twist it about.

Babbling shrugged, "The Triwizard Tournament last year that the Ministry insisted on."

Vector nodded, "No matter how much Professor Dumbledore explained to them that it was going to be a distraction and cause a reduction in learning for our students, they insisted that it go forward. We did a lot of extra tutoring last year just to get our NEWT and OWL students up to par."

Burbage patted Vector's arm, "It was tough trying to work it around their other schedules, but we did make it work." She focused on Umbridge. "This group is also affected because of it. Now, the year next should be okay because we have the time to bring them up to snuff this year and next, but this year..."

Minerva frowned slightly, "I do remember the chaotic shuffling you three went through. So, if we make them mandatory and set a time for them into the schedule, we can do not just the remediation for your class, but for all of them." She glanced at Umbridge, "Based on need. I doubt your students will need any, considering the quality of education they are receiving in your class."

Albus ran his fingers through his beard and Severus could tell that he hadn't been included in on the plan, but somehow he doubted that Umbridge knew. Minerva may or may not have been in on the planning.

Albus' hand stopped before he reached the ends of his beard. "It would take some doing, but as it is only for those two years, I believe we could work out something." His blue eyes surveyed them all from behind his glasses, "Are you all willing to do this?"

When everybody, with the exception of Umbridge, nodded yes with just the same enthusiasm, Severus wondered why he was the only professor besides her left out on the planning. Even she was nodding slightly.

_'You were in the lab late last night, you might have missed the unofficial meeting then.'_ Clarence mussed.

"Then I shall draft up a schedule today and announce the results tonight at dinner. By morning, have the students' schedules prepared. You might wish to arrange it so that they can spend a few weeks in one class and then move onto another." Albus made a note on his scroll. "Is there anything else?"

Umbridge frowned but didn't say anything. Taking that as done, the meeting broke up. Severus caught up with Filius as they walked out and followed the shorter professor to his office.

"Was there a reason I was not informed?" Severus didn't feel like small talk.

"You were busy, and I thought you knew as you sent Potter to me with the list." Filius nodded towards a chair. "We are planning on teaching as much defence in our tutorings as we can fit in under our topic. I know mine will be the easiest, but Minerva mentioned there were several ways to use transfigurations to defend yourself, and Pomona commented on parts of plants that are good. I know there are potions you would recommend, and the others are determining if they can. Anything to add?"

Severus shook his head. "No. We should meet after dinner to iron out the final details of who needs to go where."

Filius smiled, "I'll pass the message."

"I'll make sure Trelawny is told. She will need to be there too." Severus left the office after Filius agreed.

_'You know, she really is a seer,'_ Danny murmured.

_'What? She's too flighty. Not focused enough.'_

_'That's because she's an Oracle Seer.'_ Clarence said. _'You know what I am talking about – you took Divinations. She's the type that can't be around people too long. I know she says she has to be in the tower for her in__ner eye no__t to be clouded, but honestly, it's so she can keep her sanity. The same reason she keeps the tower filled with incense.'_

Severus couldn't help stopping in the middle of the hall, his attention directed completely inwards. _'Explain. How do you know that?'_

_'She has had a true-seeing, you've heard one. And then her offhand comments when your there – not to you as much, I think your Occlumency helps her – towards others. They've always come true.'_

Severus started walking again. _'Occlumency shouldn't help with Divinations, should it?'_

_'It blocks people from getting a true sense of you, so it might give her a break. I don't think she's intentionally trying to read people, but their futures are being shoved at her. That's why she hides.'_ Clarence added.

_'Wasn't there a potion or spell that could help with it?'_ Ty asked, _'I know she can't use Occlumency, she'd go insane, but I vaguely remember something you were reading mentioned a possibility of something.'_

_'It was a potion to act like the vents at Delphi – blocking out all but whom they focused on. The vents also let the seers be able to move among people without constantly knowing what was going to happen, but it can't block a true-seeing.'_ Severus narrowed his eyes as he came to Sybill's door. _'But the potion only worked with a small per cent of the Oracle Seers, and in that percentage, for only a few of them did it work completely.'_

_'Can't hurt to look into it and see if she'd want to take it. She might be willing to tone down the incense a little bit, or come to dinner more often,'_ said Danny.

Severus agreed as he knocked on her door.

"Come in, Severus," Trelawney called out.

"Good afternoon, Sybill," Severus closed the door tightly behind him. "I've come to tell you what you missed at the meeting today."

Her shawls fluttered slightly as she gestured him towards the armchair near the fireplace. _'Multiple layers to add weight so she knows where she is if she gets mentally lost in what everyone is broadcasting.'_

"Tea?" She was already pouring him a cup as she asked.

"Thank you, yes," Severus observed as she didn't hand him the spoon as she normally did. Her eyes had flicked towards him and then towards the fireplace.

"Am I going to get mad enough to chuck it away?" He couldn't help the grin when she shot him a surprised look.

"No, but when your cup gets knocked over later, the spoon with fall in and a house-elf will accidentally burn themselves on it." She waited, obviously prepared to be scoffed at.

Severus just nodded as he accepted the cup. "Thank you for keeping it."

Taking a sip, he placed it on the small table next to him. "Today's meeting went well. The normal things were discussed, and nothing new came from that. We are still treating Umbridge as if she is made of hot potato, we are still not telling Albus everything so he can have the fun of hunting for information, and we are still attempting to understand how Sinistra can stay up most of the day and be coherent in her classes."

Sybill chuckled, hiding her smile behind her cup. "It's not that hard, she's the queen of cat-napping. Literally – she and Minerva have crossed paths and cuddled up in a kitten ball more times than either of them know."

_'She gave an honest answer – not some flighty mumbo-jumbo.' _Ty sounded pleased.

Severus raised an eyebrow, "Neither knows the other is an Animagus or just doesn't recognise the other in their forms? I've never witnessed Aurora's."

"I'm not sure which it is. Now, what exactly do I have to do for these extra classes**?**" She watched him carefully, uncertainty and disbelief lurking just below the surface.

"You need to determine which OWL and NEWT students need extra help so that they can pass the exams." Severus drank some more of his tea, not surprised she knew about the tutoring classes. "We are planning on adding as much defence into them as possible."

Sybill sat back, her cup wrapped in her hands as if to warm them. "Umbridge isn't going to like that. Her last decree – the one that declares we can only teach our courses material – will allow her to dismiss any of us."

Severus contemplated her for a moment. "Would you be willing to come to dinner and sit next to her? Then, once you know her plans for the next day, let us know which classes she plans to visit?"

"The lower levels cloud the inner eye," she ducked her head and mumbled.

"Because everyone's future is being forced into your mind and you can't stop them."

Her head shot up, her eyes looking even larger in her shock.

"You're an Oracle Seer. I don't know why you're not at one of the temples, but that's what all the incense and heat are attempting to mimic. What are you blending together to help you?" Severus wondered if she bought it already prepared or if she'd done it herself.

"How? Not even Albus knows..." Sybill swallowed hard, fear creeping into her eyes. It was a fear Severus understood. Oracle Seers weren't allowed to be just anywhere. They had to be sequestered into the temples designed for them.

A smile curved Severus' lips. "I have studied Divinations, and my NEWT project was on seers – not on a specific one, but on the types."

"Are you... are you going to tell?" She clutched her shawls closer, her eyes sharpening as she looked closely at him.

"No, I'm not," Severus could tell the moment she was reassured – her fingers relaxed just slightly. "You have a good grasp of the basic means to divinations, and you have skills that can't be taught. You know the signs and symptoms of ones who also have those skills and could possibly get them the help they need."

She nodded slowly, hope filling her face.

"Last year, I read about a potion that is supposed to help Oracle Seers be able to be around others."

Sybill cut in, "I heard of it, but it wasn't that promising, and there was no way I could brew it."

"I'm willing to brew it and you can see if it helps you. Also, if you can tell me what's in the incense blend you use, I could attempt to find a less … headache-inducing way to help you during your classes." He waited for her to think.

"All at the cost of me coming to dinner and sitting next to Umbridge?" she asked quietly.

Severus raised an eyebrow, "I am the Potions Master of this school. I would provide your required potions without your asking, just as I provided Lupin with his."

She shifted, leaning forward, hope filling her face. Severus wondered what she was seeing.

"I will come to dinner, but I need you to sit on the other side of me." Her eyes were deadly earnest as they searched his face. "Your mental shields help block not only you but ones on the other side of you out and I might could focus better on her."

Severus smiled as he stood, "If you'll excuse me, I have to compile my list of students and then begin researching a potion."

"Of course, I must get busy as well. I'll see you at right after dinner in the staff room. Bring a headache potion for Minerva and myself, please." She stood and already turned towards her desk when she turned back. "Your robe..."

She spoke too late, Severus felt the material knock over a picture frame that in turn tipped over his cup, spilling the last of the tea into the fireplace.

§§§§§

Severus set the tiny satchel of incense and herbs on his lab table. He'd planned on starting the potion for Sybill, but realized that he didn't have a copy of the recipe for it. The article only discussed the results and some of the ingredients used. He'd written a request for it and already took the letter to the owlery. Sybill stopped him there and gave him the satchel.

Pulling a scrap of parchment over, he poured the ingredients onto a glass plate and began to identify them.

_'A few of these are ones that are mentioned in the article. I wonder if Sybill added them to it after she read about it? I don't think she has access to Potions Quarterly – it's a regulated subscription – but maybe a seer's periodical republished it. Or ran a similar one, as the ingredients she used are some of the more standard but harder to find ones, not the esoteric but easy to find ones.' _

For once the voices in his head remained quiet. Taking that as a good sign, Severus focused on developing something Sybill could try that evening.

By dinner time, Severus had a salve that he thought might work. Tucking it and three headache potions into his robes, he went to meet up with Sybill on her way down. He spotted her carefully stepping off the stairs into the main hall near the Great Hall.

"Trelawney," Severus nudged his head towards a side room when she looked at him. Thankfully she followed him in. He was mildly concerned as she held onto the back of a chair, her eyes closed.

"I'll get used to it, Snape, I've done it before," she opened her eyes and gave a twisted smile, "It's been several years."

"I have sent for the potion's recipe. I'll make it as soon as I have a copy." Severus pulled out the salve, "I don't know if it will help, but I created an aromatic salve based off your satchel, the ingredients listed in the article, and ingredients I had in stock to make up for some of the ones I didn't have from the first two. Just swipe a light coating under your nose. Make sure not to get your lip or ingest it. If it starts bothering you, clean it off with your napkin."

She accepted the small container, turning it slowly between her fingers. "Thank... thank you, Severus."

"Try it now. If there is an immediate reaction, I can counter it here."

Nodding, she opened it, sniffed the balm inside, and gently swiped a bit on to her finger. After waiting a moment, she smiled and coated her skin just below the nostrils.

"No one should be overwhelmed with the scent, either." Severus waited, watching to be sure her skin didn't redden and she was having no issues breathing.

Closing her eyes, she gave a full-body shake. "Better than before. I can still feel them pressing in, but... it's not quite as good as burning the satchel, but I can face walking into the Great Hall." She headed back to the door, "Let's go." She stopped, "You should go first. Then I'll come in. We can't have her suspect anything."

Severus smirked slightly, "True, and I can see everyone's expression when you come in. Do make sure to tell me tomorrow everything about how the salve affects you. I can see if I can adjust it, if need be."

He made it to the High Table and sat down, making sure to leave the space between Umbridge and him empty.

§§§§§

Harry stared as the Great Hall door opened a few minutes after Snape. Someone slipped in, and at first, he couldn't see who it was, but when he caught a glimpse he knew his jaw sagged. His wasn't the only one.

Trelawney didn't come out of her tower.

Ever.

_'The world is shifting. Snape is acting like a teacher. Flitwick looked shocked when I handed him the DA information. Now Trelawney is here.' _ His jaw dropped lower as she sat between Umbridge and Snape. He'd never thought she was particularly courageous, but it had to take a lot of courage to sit in that chair. Umbridge gave her a once over and sniffed before returning her attention to Dumbledore. Snape gave her a more searching look, his eyes hunting for every detail about her.

Trelawney didn't pay attention to either of them.

Harry looked at the other professors, wondering if they were as shocked as he was. They were, even Dumbledore.

The Headmaster paused, looking at the entire staff, before standing up. "An announcement and then we can tuck in. Starting tomorrow all Fifth and Seventh Year students will have a mandatory tutoring and review session. Your Head of House will give you your assignment in the morning."

"More?" "What?" "Why?" Was heard being exclaimed from all the tables. Harry felt this was due to scrolls he'd given to Flitwick. _'How is this going to affect my lessons with Snape?'_

"And now, let us eat." Dumbledore sat back down as food filled the tables.

"Why do we have to do this?" Ron groused as he loaded his plate.

"We can use it, but how are they going to determine where we need to go?" Hermione leant forward to reach for a roll. "This is fairly sudden. Is Umbridge going to visit the lessons?"

"You can be assured Umbridge is," Harry glanced back at the High Table. Umbridge was ignoring Trelawney completely, but Snape seemed to be listening to the Divinations Professor without even a scowl. "I think we might have to do this because of the work I gave Flitwick."

Hermione frowned, "I thought that was for his class."

Harry just shrugged.

The next morning at breakfast, Harry stared at the assignment McGonagall handed him. "Astronomy?" He turned to Ron, "Where are you?"

"Astronomy too," he looked at Hermione who flipped hers around to show she was with them.

"I wonder who else?" Harry glanced at the time, "Every day?"

"Potter."

Harry tensed before turning around to face Snape. Sure, they were working on better terms, but Snape just snapped his name.

"This doesn't affect _your_ Remedial Potions. I refuse to waste the time we've spent so far." Snape spun slightly and continued out of the Great Hall, his robe billowing behind him.

Harry knew he shouldn't feel relieved, but he was.

§§§§§

_'Sic Eric on her,' _ Oliver sounded particularly vicious, _'She's harming students. You noticed Harry's hand, the scabbing on the back that looks like words. I've paid attention and there are plenty of other students with the same thing, and all of them have had detention with Umbridge recently.'_

Severus glanced at the portrait hanging on the wall nearest his desk. The Auror depicted in it was his Ministry watchdog. The man was capable of turning in reports to the Auror department, not that he's had to do so yet. "Auror Alexander."

The painting leant forwards, a hand resting on the inside of the frame, "Formal, Severus?"

Severus quirked his lips slightly, "Since I am addressing you in a formal capacity, yes."

"Very well, Professor Snape, what can I do for you?" Painted brown eyes blinked and the dark-skinned man sat straight.

Severus also straightened, his hands resting in his lap as he addressed the portrait. "Do you still have a portrait in the Defence Against Dark Arts office and in that classroom? If so, are you capable of creating reports on someone else breaking laws besides me? And if you do, and if you can, are you willing to?"

Eric blinked, "You want me to watch the Defence Professor that everyone is extremely cautious about talking about?"

Severus nodded and waited.

"Why? I need a good reason to step down from watching you to watching her."

"Please, don't stop watching me – I do not wish the Ministry to get worried that I'm not under surveillance. Instead, I would ask that you randomly pop in on her, but especially when she is holding detentions. The students who serve one with her tend to come out with scars on the back of their hands." Severus waited, hoping that'd be enough information.

Eric tried not to look upset. "As your door guardian, I can report on anything. I will see if I still have a portrait in both locations. Just a moment, Severus."

The former Auror left his portrait only to be back minutes later.

"What has she done? Is her idea of defence to attack it with kittens?" Eric shuddered. "I can view both rooms completely and am willing to step out periodical to watch. But know I will be back to check on you."

Severus smiled. "I wouldn't expect any less."

§§§§§

Harry noticed that a number of the DA were in the Astronomy remediation. Professor Sinistra wrote a few notes on the board before making sure everyone was there.

"Welcome to Astronomy remediation. Over the next two weeks, we shall be reviewing star types, constellations, and care of the equipment." She gestured to her notes. "Today, we shall be discussing why knowing the constellations and particular stars for not only our region but for others is important." She paused slightly, "Does anyone have an idea?"

They all looked at each other, but Ron raised his hand.

"Mr Weasley?'

"Well, if you were lost – like you Apparated and you didn't quite visualize the area you planned to go, and you lived through it, you have a chance of learning where you are." Ron glanced at the others, his uncertainty showing.

"Very good, Mr Weasley." Sinistra smiled before it fell off her face. "At the end of last year, two of our students were taken from the castle. If circumstances had been slightly different, they could have used the stars to know where they were and possibly get back. Or at least know a good direction to head in."

A wave of her wand had star charts covering the walls. Another had slips of parchment on their desks. "Team up with another and find the maps for your assigned areas. Determine which stars you want to follow to get help."

Harry partnered up with Ron and for the next hour, they used Astronomy in ways they'd never considered.

That was the way every class went. They'd work on using the star maps, sextants for navigation and further in, they'd learned how to lubricate the telescopes and the spell used to conjure the lube. Sinistra warned them about how slippery it could make the floor, biding them to be very careful so people wouldn't be falling the rest of the week. When she taught the NEWT students the grinding spell to perfect the lenses, she warned that it should never be cast on glasses, or Merlin forbid, someone's eyes.

Harry's lessons with Snape were going better too. By the time he'd finished Astronomy Remediation, he had about a dozen birds – all the same bird of prey, a hawk he thought – sitting in the woods around his mind. With them, he successfully kept Snape out. The Professor ended their formal lessons with a warning: he would periodically attempt to access Harry's mind and would be removing points when he succeeded. Not just from Harry but from his friends as well.

It took the Transfigurations' two weeks of remediation to figure out what the Professors were doing. They were teaching both groups how to use their subject to defend themselves. Charms was also focused on defence spells. Care of Magical Creatures was more focused, covering not only the habits and care of the creatures that were talked about in the defence book but how to protect yourself from them. Harry wondered who was helping Hagrid.

After Care of Magical Creatures, they'd moved onto Potions, Divinations, Herbology, and Hermione went to both Arithmancy and Runes. By time OWLs came around, Harry felt well prepared.


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: Many thanks to YenGirl! This wouldn't be the same without her. _

Chapter 3

"I've made a report for every child she tortured, as well as one on her inability to teach a class." Eric frowned. "I know the DMLE have started looking less and less each year as you've proven to be less … noteworthy. I will stop by early tomorrow and catch one of the Aurors before they head out and let them know. We've only a few days left of the school year, so hopefully, this will be handled soon."

"Thank you, Eric," Severus turned back to his desk and tried not to groan at the amount things left to grade.

§§§§§

Harry knew he was staring at the Aurors as they headed for the staircase. He couldn't figure out why they were there, but whatever the reason, it looked serious.

"Who did Umbridge finally succeed in getting rid of?" Ron whispered next to him.

Everyone knew she wanted Trelawney, Hagrid, and possibly Snape gone, but she hadn't been able to build even a made-up case against the three. Every teacher had stuck to her decrees to the letter. Harry was glad he had given control of the DA to Flitwick. The group's anxiety had lessened, and he even caught relieved looks on one of the Ravenclaw's face.

"I don't know mate, but to bring Aurors in..." Harry trailed off. "Let's go to lunch."

"And sit really close to the doors," Hermione added.

All three did so, pleased that the doors were ajar.

Not thirty minutes later, the Aurors were back with Umbridge between them. Her lips were pursed, her eyes glaring daggers. Gone entirely was her sweet persona that had only fooled a few people. One of the Aurors had her wand discreetly pointed at Umbridge's pink-clad back. Looking closer, Harry noticed more than one wand was pointed at her. As the entrance doors opened, he spotted a carriage waiting outside.

The rest of his view was blocked when a few students jumped and ran to the doors, a murmur of voices swelling in the Great Hall. As one, Harry, Ron and Hermione went to join them. Surprisingly, none of the staff said anything.

Ignoring their growing audience, the Auror in the lead opened the carriage's door, "Come along, Professor."

With a hurmph, she clambered in with three of her escorts following. Two of the ones left hopped on the top and one hung onto the back. All had their wands drawn except for the Professor.

The thestrals took off, leaving not only Harry but everyone who witnessed it to wonder just what happened.

The staff were silent but wore grim looks of satisfaction when the students returned to their seats.

Nothing was announced during dinner, but the front page of the Prophet next morning caused the entire Great Hall to erupt with cheers. Harry noticed that even the Slytherins were just as thrilled with the arrest and imminent incarceration of the former Defence Professor.

Fred, George, and Lee with help from members of all the other Houses set up a celebratory party out on the grounds between the Quidditch Pitch and the Forbidden Forest. Students of all the Houses and several Professors attended. Harry noticed Flitwick studying the Portable Swamp while Snape took an interest in the Catherine wheel fireworks that exploded. Sprout was talking to Fred and George. Sidling up to them, Harry heard them making plans to include a swamp near the greenhouses to support a number of marsh plants that she'd not been able to grow.

§§§§§

Severus didn't watch the Hogwarts Express pulled out. He was in his lab, reading the Seer Potion recipe one last time. Most of last term was spent wrangling with the creator and his team of _others_ to get it. He'd filled in more paperwork for this one sheet of parchment than he had for most of the others he had combined. He knew why – Oracle Seers were heavily regulated and so were everything that dealt with them.

It had finally taken telling them that he taught at Hogwarts and he wished to have it just in case one of their students started showing the signs. The school could dose them while they waited for the Temples to come to collect them. Not that Severus would do so, not unless the child requested it themselves. Instead, he'd direct Sybill towards them and let her decide what to do. To that end, he'd suggested that Sybill pay close attention to Miss Lovegood. He had had his suspicions about her flakiness for years. He didn't know the outcome, but Sybill had closeted herself with Filius towards the end of the term.

Setting the recipe next to his improved version of the first salve he'd made the seer, he began comparing ingredients. Several of the ingredients did the same thing, but they interacted differently together. Severus' salve was now edible – he'd tweaked enough of the ingredients and Sybill said it worked well enough. She could burn less of the sachets throughout the school day, resulting in less headaches for her and better divination results for her students. That last part had caused her to push Severus to invent something that only affected her.

_'Brew the potion as is, and then you can tweak it to see if you can improve it for her.'_ Oliver said.

_'That way you have a starting point, and her reactions can tell you what ingredients to adjust," _ Clarence added.

"That was the plan," Severus murmured as he went to find the ingredients and the right cauldron.

§§§§§

Severus cut the ham and lettuce sandwiches neatly into four small triangles and arranged them on their plates. He'd brought a bag of crisps at the request of Pomona and it was sitting out on the garden table where Filius was currently setting out napkins while the tea was brewing. Pomona had already set a jug of iced lemon water with little slices of lemons in it on the table before she'd walked out into her garden hunting for fresh mint she wanted to add to it.

Floating two plates behind him, Severus carried the third out into the warmth of the summer day. Placing them near the napkins, he settled in the seat that was more in the shade.

'_Definitely don't want to get burned,' _ Danny groused, _'It's not like we can't brew sunscreen or something like it. I want to go play! We can swing, and climb cliffs or trees, maybe go punting, or -'_

'_It'll ruin his vampire image,' _Oliver countered, '_and we can't have that.'_

'_He can make a potion to fade __the effects of __the sun on his skin,' _ Clarence reassured them.

'_And the colour would help with your overall appearance,' _ Ty added.

'_I just d__on't want to be squinting as we visit.'_ Severus huffed. It was met with chuckles from the other four.

Filius sat across the table from him and Pomona ripped the mint leaves up before sprinkling them into the lemon water.

"Give that a few minutes and it will be ready," she sat down between the two. "I'm glad you both could make it. Unfortunately, Minerva couldn't get away."

"I can't say why Severus opted to be here, but I've been spending too much time in the libraries and such and needed to get a breath of fresh air," Filius grinned as he charmed the teapot to pour for them. "Just as you suggested in your invitation."

Pomona smiled as she added the crisps to her plate, "He came because I threatened not to let him touch my greenhouses."

Raising an eyebrow, Severus tipped his head to one side. "No, I came because you asked for the crisps and I thought it would be a perfect time to see if you could grow some flowers for me next year."

Filius laughed and started in on his lunch. "What flowers, Severus? Are you going to decorate your room? The students won't know what came over you."

Pomona chuckled, "After Sybill's shock to their system last term, I'm not sure they can handle you giving them another one."

Filius frowned slightly, "She started coming down to dinner the night you went to tell her about the mandatory tutorings. I didn't expect that – or for her to be able to help us know when Umbridge was going to be in our classrooms."

Severus gave a slight shrug, "I suggested it to her, but I honestly wasn't sure she would. She came up with her own reason."

Memory of a staffroom moment took Severus back to three days after Sybill had come down for dinner.

"_Filius, that le__sson you are pl__anning for tomorrow, you might want to postpone it until the day after." Sybill wrung her hands under her shawl as she spoke. _

_Filius frowned slightly, but it was McGonagall spoke sharply, "Why should he? And why have you been coming out of your tower? Doesn't being down here with us mortals cloud your inner eye?"_

_Severus refused to cringe or jump to Sybill's aid – both reactions would be out of place for him – but he did feel for the seer._

_Large hazel e__yes flew towa__rds the Deputy Headmistress, "It does cloud the inner eye, but not so much I can't read that … person. Since she is still here looking for things to harm us, and getting frustrated because she can't find things, I decided that it would be better for her to see me as part of the faculty."_

_Sybill looked back at Filius, "As to why you should postpone__, she is pl__anning on visiting your class." She looked back over at Minerva, "and yours as well, so you might want to take that into consideration. She is going to stop by yours right before lunch and then come back right after. She is going to go to Filius' tutoring session."_

_Minerva had stared while Filius made a quick note to change his plans. _

"Well, Sybill has always been her own force to reckon with," Pomona grinned. "What are the flowers really for, Severus? And how toxic are they?"

"They are an ingredient for a potion I'm improving. I see no reason to continually order them if you're willing to grow them for me. They are not toxic unless the little miscreants decide to ingest them." Severus picked up his sandwich and started in, waiting on her to decide.

"So, an ingredient for an experimental potion, not toxic unless eaten..." Pomona frowned slightly, "How much space are they going to take and when do I need to plant them? I have to order the first batch."

"I've the seeds from the last batch I ordered – some had flower pods and they are self-fertilizing – so you won't have to order them. They aren't too large, at the most three feet high, single stalks with a large spray flower head."

"I've space for that in the back of greenhouse five." Pomona sat forwards, pouring the mint lemon water. "You have the seeds with you?"

"Of course," Severus pulled a paper packet out of his pocket and set it on the table next to her. "When have I not been prepared?"

Filius sipped the water to clear his mouth, "Part of being a spy, I suppose. Speaking of, you see the … what do you call him?"

Severus blinked, "Him? Do you mean the Dark Lord?"

Filius beamed, "Yes, that's it. You-know-who is so annoying. So, you've seen the Dark Lord before and after he's died. What can you tell me about him? I've been researching to determine how he could have survived death."

Pomona turned an interested gaze on him as she continued to eat. Filius also continued. Both waited patiently for him to put his words together.

A few bites of food later, he started, "There isn't too much of a difference between the Dark Lord pre-Potter and post-Potter magic and intelligence wise. His physical appearance is more corpse-like now – he's missing his nose, his skin is more crepe-like, his eyes are red." He frowned slightly, "But they had a red glow to them pre-Potter. Also, pre-Potter his skin was just as pale."

Filius frowned slightly, "Slughorn, a number of years ago, let slip that he thought the Dark Lord was a former student named Tom Riddle. I've researched the boy, he was smart and magically strong. He had a group of friends that match the suspected Death Eater in-crowd but wasn't known for red eyes or being cruel. He was very charismatic." He waved his wand, pulling up an image. "That's him not long after he graduated."

Severus studied the image. "That appears to be a younger version of the Dark Lord I joined pre-Potter."

"He was a half-blood – muggle and witch – so shouldn't have any special regeneration powers. The only thing I can think of is … well, the red eyes, death-like appearance, and not dying …"

"What?" Pomona prompted.

"A lich," whispered Filius, "not a corpse, though yes, he's one of those too, but a wizard who put part of his soul into a phylactery so he can't die."

Pomona and Severus both took a settling gulp of tea.

"I just don't know why it took so long for him to come fully back."

"If he's a lich, why would he need the flesh of a servant, bone of his father, and blood of his enemy – specifically Potter?" Severus asked, feeling his way through the idea.

Filius shook his head, "I don't know and that is why I am stumped. What you said reinforces my idea, but the whole resurrection part doesn't add up. Did he keep resurrecting while he was away, but didn't want people to see him as a skeleton? So, he came here and had the ritual done to give him a more fleshy appearance?"

"Then why did he possess Quirrell during Potter's first year?" Severus asked.

"And those poor unicorns," Pomona added, "all that precious blood that he took."

"Same reason, he was trying to change his appearance." Filius leant forwards, his eyes alight, "He knew that most of his followers wouldn't continue to follow him and he wouldn't attract new ones if he was a skeleton or had rotting flesh, so he used poor Quirrell to get him where he could do some research and get the unicorn's blood. Why he needed Mr Potter's blood, I don't know."

Severus nodded slightly, "How do we destroy a lich?"

Pomona shuddered, "You have to find their phylactery and destroy it. Then you have to kill their current incarnation."

Both Severus and Filius looked at her, varying degrees of shock on their faces. She huffed and crossed her arms, "I can know things too."

Filius laughed and Severus just raised an eyebrow.

§§§§§

The three of them joined Minerva for lunch the next week. Her small cottage clung to the edge of a hamlet that was barely visible through her parlour windows. It was there they were eating as her table was covered with scrolls and stacks of parchments.

Severus balanced his salad plate while he carefully set his teacup onto the table.

"I talked to Babbling, Burbage, Vector and Sinistra yesterday," Minerva said as she came through the door, a teapot following her. "They agreed."

Filius floated his plates near him as he settled onto the settee. "So, we just need to let Albus know?"

Pomona smiled as she settled next to him, "Sounds like it, as long as we are all in agreement."

They all looked over at Severus.

"What was Hooch's opinion?" he asked before taking a bite from the green salad.

Pomona answered as Minerva's mouth was full, "She was fine with it and agreed to do a bit more flying lessons to boot. She wanted to improve the upper years' skills and teach them cloaking spells."

"Let's let Albus know the plan then." Severus settled back a smile curling his lips. Sure, it would make the year a bit more difficult, but hiring a less than competent Defence Professor while they continued teaching the material in their classes made more sense than attempting to get Slughorn to come out of retirement. Horace had mentioned that Albus had talked to him about it when they'd crossed paths at an apothecary. Severus knew the former professor didn't want to return; Horace was enjoying running the potions world from behind the scenes too much to step back into Hogwarts.

Minerva nodded, "I will. We don't need another Umbridge, and you don't need to teach that class."

Severus' plate wobbled slightly as he jerked about to stare at her, "Me? Albus never seriously considered asking me."

Minerva's face said it all. The narrowed eyes, compressed lips, and tightening of her jaw all made him rethink his statement.

"He suggested it to me," she growled. "He wanted to convince poor Horace back and move you to Defence. I disabused him of that idea, and this plan will keep him from being forced to do it. I don't want to know what that cursed course would do to you."

The four voices in his head agreed with her along with Filius and Pomona.

§§§§§

With one hand on the open fridge door, Severus looked over his shoulder. He wasn't too worried about the sudden Apparition into his kitchen. There was only one person in the entire world who could do that and if Albus had wanted him dead it would have happened long ago.

"I was considering what to make for lunch," he tipped his head towards the Headmaster, "Are you joining me?"

Albus hesitated for just a moment before shaking his head. "Could you postpone your meal for a bit?"

Severus closed the fridge door. Albus wouldn't normally keep either of them from eating. This had to be important. "What do you need?"

Blue eyes narrowed slightly behind half-moon glasses as Albus' right hand moved to his beard, his fingers tangling in it. "An artefact left by Voldemort. I cannot get close enough to examine it, and was hoping you would have better luck."

'_What type of artefact_?'Clarence asked quietly.

Ty joined in, _'Is he all right?'_

'_Grab a banana or an apple if you are going,'_ Oliver added as Danny urged him to go.

Grabbing a banana, Severus crossed the room as he searched to make sure Albus was unharmed. The Dark Lord was known for his more nasty protections.

"I'm fine," Albus waved the concern look away, "Will you come with me?"

"Do I need to collect my potions case?" Severus accepted the held out arm when the older man shook his head. "Then let's go."

A true smile was all he saw before they Apparated away from his kitchen.

They appeared on a rocky coast.

"Finish your banana," Albus caught his hat and held it securely as a gust of wind blew off the sea. "We need to go into that cave."

Severus cast the skin into the sea and started towards the dark opening. It wasn't far off, they'd appeared on a small outcropping of rock right next to it.

"It requires a small blood sacrifice to get in," Albus said as he nicked the side of his arm and smeared the blood on the entrance.

"I should have done that, Albus," Severus snapped, "If the protections are keyed to Death Eaters, it might recognise the trace of his magic in our blood."

Albus stopped inside, his eyes widening as he looked back at him. "I didn't want you to be hurt, Severus."

Severus rolled his eyes and nicked his left arm near the Dark Mark with a small knife and smeared the blood onto the entrance. A flick of his fingers had the wound sealed after he'd entered the cave. "I've given myself worse preparing ingredients." He surveyed the lake between them and an island. "How are we getting across?"

"Voldemort left a boat, but I think only one of age wizard can ride in it." Albus gestured towards the cave wall where the lake touched it. Then he pulled a large board out of an obviously expanded pouch, set it near the water's edge and transfigured it into a boat large enough for the two of them. "I don't think we should touch the water. Foul things are in it."

Severus stepped carefully into the boat, making sure not to rock it, and settled before Albus did the same. Albus set them on their way across the water while Severus peered into the depths. They were halfway across before he spotted his first body floating in it. After that, he couldn't spot a section of water without one.

Albus propelled the boat up onto the shore so they could get out without touching the water.

"The artefact is in that basin over there on the rock pedestal." Albus walked towards it, picking up a small rock along the way. "There is a barrier set up around it." When they were a foot away, he tossed the rock at the basin and it rebounded off an unseen shield. "It goes to the ground."

Severus walked around the pedestal, looking for any sign that might indicate how to access the contents. Seeing nothing, he reached out with his left hand and carefully pressed towards the basin. It was stopped within six inches of the bowl. The shield was warm under his palm, a gentle warning not to press any further. "It won't let me through."

Albus sighed, "I'd hoped. Well, there's nothing for it then. I'll research it and come back later. Let's get you back home and to a decent lunch."

Agreeing, Severus crossed the island back to the boat. Albus' wand gave a soft tinkling sound as the climbed back in.

"Is it that time already?" A quick swish of his wand had the time in the air and Albus sighing, "Severus, could you do me a favour?"

Severus raised an eyebrow and asked, "And that is?"

The boat ground ashore and they disembarked.

"I thought I had more time. I need to retrieve young Mr Potter from his home to take him to the Weasleys, but I also need to meet Ms Mornstar to interview her for the Defence position." Albus turned to look at him just outside the cave. "Could you by chance give me a bit more of your summer day off? I know, you'd rather not see him, but I need to be at the interview. So, will you please collect and deliver Mr Potter?"

Knowing it could take forever or no time at all, Severus dismissed the idea of lunch. They needed a Defense Professor and Minerva said Mornstar was the best option – if she made it through the year, she could actually learn to take on the entire course. So, he would go get Potter – besides, he had to talk to the boy. "Of course, Albus."

§§§§§

Severus walked up to Number 4 Privet Drive wondering if Potter was prepared to leave.

'_He probably isn't,' _ Danny murmured. _'I doubt if his relatives would allow it.'_

The other three made noises of agreement.

'_Then we shall wait patiently – not that Potter's relatives will know it.'_

Laughter echoed in his head as he knocked on the door. Potter opened the door dressed in what was obviously his cousins cast-offs, his eyes widening when he spotted Severus on the steps.

"Sir, I thought Professor Dumbledore was coming," he opened the door wider. "Come on in. My Aunt and Uncle are home, but they haven't let me pack yet."

"The Headmaster asked me to come so he could conduct an interview." Severus entered the hall and glanced about. "Do I need to tell your relatives to let you pack?"

"Tell us?" A gruff voice asked from the front room, "You can't tell us to do anything!"

Severus turned his head slightly and frowned at the obese man who had to be Potter's uncle. "Do not tell me what I can and cannot do, Muggle. You're rude enough to keep me waiting even after the boy's been told when to be ready."

The uncle shot to his feet, his face turning purple, "And why should we jump to your kinds' commands!?"

Severus raised an eyebrow, "Command?"

'_As if Albus would write it as a command,'_ Oliver scoffed, _'He doesn't tell you things like a command, he just asks when you have no real chance to say no.'_

The man leant forward, but his feet stayed put. "We don't jump just because someone tells us to do something."

'_Unless it's an Imperious Curse,'_ Danny chirped.

Severus twisted his lips into a sneer. "Don't tempt me, Muggle. I could make you do things you'd never considered."

Potter shot him a quick side look before backing up towards the stairwell. "I'll go get my things, sir."

The green eyes darted towards his uncle and back to Severus' hands before he took off up the stairs.

'_I think you've just been given permission to hex him,'_ Ty smugly said.

'_Unfortunately, Albus knows I am here.'_ Severus let his eyes rake over Dursley as he heard the rattle of locks as a door was flung open.

'_They're on the outside of Harry's door,' _ Clarence informed him.

Severus' fingers crept closer to his wand. The sound of a trunk clunking down the stairs stopped him. "You are sure you have everything, Potter?"

"Yes, sir."

He pulled his wand and flicked it towards the trunk, shrinking it. "Put that in a pocket and let your bird go. Tell her to meet you at Mr Weasley's."

Potter scooped up the small box and then opened the door before talking to his owl and letting her out of her cage. She swooped off without a backward glance. Severus took his cue from her, sweeping out the door, taking Potter with him and ignoring Dursley.

It was on their way to the small park near the house that Severus attempted to enter Potter's mind. Green eyes shot to him even as his mind was rebuffed by a flock of silvery birds.

"Well done, Potter," he directed them to a hole in the hedge around the park, one large enough to hide them both. A flick of his wand had their conversation completely muffled. "As agreed upon near the beginning of the year, you have adequately protected your mind so you deserve to know the information promised."

He waited until the shocked expression morphed into Potter's listening one. "The year you were born a prophecy was made by a seer. Copies of all known prophecies are kept in glass ball receptacles in the Department of Mysteries deep inside of the Ministry. The only people capable of picking them up are the ones they are pertaining to. The Dark Lord learnt this the hard way as a few of his followers were injured in an attempt to retrieve it for him. Even his snake – the one that bit Mr Weasley – was unable to retrieve it, though she was not grievously harmed."

"Unfortunately," Potter mumbled.

Severus didn't bother to hide the smile that flashed on his face. "True. So, the only two capable of lifting and listening to the stored prophecy is the Dark Lord and yourself. As he is still in hiding along with being a wanted criminal, he could not walk into the Ministry to receive it. You could. So, from what I can gather from the dreams you were having, he was attempting to convince you to go get it. It would have, of course, been a trap, enabling him to receive the prophecy from you once you were taken to him."

Potter blanched. "Thanks."

Severus just nodded his head.

"Does anyone know what it says?"

'_Tell him now,'_ Ty practically shouted.

'_And have him despise and hate me even more?'_

'_Won't happen.'_ Oliver cut in, _'He has already developed a trust in you and he understands your spying position.'_

'_Oliver is right,'_ Clarence and Danny both chimed, _'He might be upset for a bit, but the summer would give him time to get through it.'_

'_If you're sure.'_

'_Just tell him, Severus,'_ Ty sighed.

"Yes," Severus offered his arm. After Harry took it, he continued, "Dumbledore was the one who heard it, so he knows its entirety. I heard a section of it – which is the part that the Dark Lord knows."

He Apparated them to the Burrow and then steadied the teen when they appeared in an orchard near the house.

Potter clutched his arm, staring up at him, "You ... you know part? You told … him?"

Severus sighed and studied Potter's face. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies."

He would never forget those words, not as long as he lived. Potter recoiled slightly but not as much as Severus expected him to.

"That's what lead the Dark Lord to your parents' doorstep and killed them, allowing you to vanquish him, and leaving you an orphan.

"Now you know as much as he does. Maybe the Headmaster will tell you the rest. You can ask him if you want, but later. Now, head down to the Burrow."

Potter released his arm and walked away, pausing a moment to look back at him only to continue towards the house.

§§§§§

Harry sank onto his cot in Ron's room, his resized trunk at the foot of it with Hedwig's cage tuck inside. 'She won't be locked in it again until the train ride back to school. Thank goodness!'

Ron leant out the window slightly, watching the road, "Mum said that Hermione was allowed to come, too. She's going to bunk in Ginny's room. Dad went to get her." He turned back to Harry, "Who brought you? Mum wasn't happy that you walked in without anyone else."

"Snape did. I don't think he would have enjoyed your Mum's fussing over him," Harry chuckled at that image.

"Snape?" Ron dropped on to his bed, back to the window. "How? I thought it was to be Dumbledore?"

Harry shrugged, " Snape said Dumbledore had an interview."

"New Defence professor then."

"What else?"

They both jumped slightly at Hermione's voice, then bounded off their beds and darted towards her, enveloping her in a group hug.

Greetings done, they fell back onto their beds, Hermione on Ron's.

"Defence sounds right," Harry answered the earlier question, "Now that you're both here, I need to tell you what Snape told me."

Hermione leant forward, "Told you?"

Harry nodded and proceed to fill them in about the prophesy.


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: So, I've been cheating on fanfiction. *nods solemnly* I've been doing it quietly with the help of Excessivelyperky, YenGirl, SuNoYo, Lizzy0305, Rayalight, and Eflina. And well, that cheating has come to fruition. I published a book on Amazon. I know that I will continue this other relationship as I have to write the next instalment, but it won't take me away from here. *beams* So, if you like my writing and want to see an original work, please go to Amazon and look for Hearthwizard by Ree Taylor. I've put a link in my profile if you'd rather follow it. Honestly, all those others were a godsend in getting this done. Thanks!_

_Now that's out of the way, on with what you are here for! Also brought to you by the wonderful help of Yen (YenGirl) - she made this chapter much better. Thank ladio!_

Severus knew that arguing wouldn't change anything. Albus insisted that Potter and his Weasley would take NEWT Potions; they were going to do so. _'I'm amazed both of them made an 'A' on their OWLs much less an 'E'.'_

'_Severus, Harry does have a brain and is perfectly capable of learning,' _Ty groused_._

'_But he hasn't applied himself before' _Clarence defended.

'_That's only because he's been too focused on the wrong things,'_ Danny added.

'_And now that he has his priorities straight, he might be able to learn,'_ Oliver finished.

'_Which is why I'm making an exception for them,'_ Severus purposefully didn't roll his eyes. Minerva was watching him too closely. "As they showed that they are capable of focusing last term, I'll accept them on the understanding that if they are doing horribly after two months I can have them removed."

Albus studied him, his eyes not quite as bright as they had been.

Filius jumped in, "That sounds like a reasonable idea. If they're below an 'A' level, they should change to a different class."

Sprout, Trelawney, and Burbage nodded in agreement. Babbling and Vector weren't far behind. Albus relented.

"They shall also be asked not to spread the word about the exception being made for them," Vector added and everyone nodded in agreement.

§§§§§

Harry and Ron stood outside the door with a touch of trepidation. When they'd seen their OWL scores, they'd known there was no hope of getting into Potions. Then they'd received their schedules and were now woefully unprepared for Snape's class.

'_At least Fred and George are letting us borrow their cauldrons and knives and such until Mrs Weasley can send up ours. They couldn't share their books because of 'notes', but maybe we can get by today. Especially if Snape writes the formula on the board.' _Harry hiked his bag higher onto his shoulder. Neither he nor Ron was under the illusion that Snape would understand about their lack of materials.

The door opened without Snape anywhere around. Everyone looked at everyone else trying to see who'd enter the classroom without the Professor there.

No one moved.

No one would dare the wrath of the Potions Master.

Sure, First Years just waltzed in. Second Years were a bit warier, but by the time you finished your OWLs, you knew better. If one little thing was disturbed it could change the entire class period for the worse. No one was willing to see what Snape's reaction would be if a NEWT level student did that. Even the Slytherins stayed well away from the open portal.

Almost a full minute passed before Snape appeared. He looked at each face and then walked through the path that had opened for him. Not a word was spoken as the students followed the professor into the classroom.

Sitting in the middle of the room, flanked by Ron and Hermione, Harry waited.

"Congratulations; this year's NEWTs class is still all permitted to be present," Snape looked at each one, his gaze sitting longer on Harry and Ron. "We shall see if this unusual event continues.

"You are in this class to learn how to move further in the art of Potions. To strive to understand the complexities of their ingredients and their preparations. To learn how these can be combined to create something that could save a life as easily as to take one," he paused letting those words sink in.

"As there is a fine line between the two, know that should you fail to maintain the level of understanding I expect of you, you _will_ be dismissed. Now, to show that you've not grown … forgetful, we shall start with a simple draft." A flick of his wand had a page number and potion's name appearing on the board. "The ingredients are where they standardly are in the store cupboard as usual. You have one hour. Begin."

Harry and Ron looked at each other before turning a hopeful eye towards Hermione.

"Potter! Weasley!" Snape snapped, preventing them from asking if Hermione would share her book. Harry turned just as the Professor signalled them to the front of the room. Nudging Ron, they went.

"Yes, sir?" asked Harry in a respectful tone, he didn't want to destroy all the understanding they'd achieved.

"As your admittance into this class was undoubtedly as much as a surprise to you two as it was for me, you may borrow _two_ books. Return them once you have an adequate replacement," he gestured to a cupboard Harry had never noticed before.

There were a few sniggers from a nearby group of students, but Harry refused to worry about it. Not when Snape was practically rewarding them for their behaviour from last year.

Ron opened the cupboard door. Jam-packed from the top shelf above their heads to the bottom shelf at waist height were textbooks – all of which, but two, were for OWL levels. The last two – one of which looked in almost pristine shape and the other looked likely to fall apart if it was moved – were the right ones.

Ron grabbed the good one and Harry reached for the other. "We can share this one, mate, I'm not sure if that one will make it."

Harry glanced back at Snape and shook his head. "If it falls apart when I take it out, then he might accept us using the same book."

They both held their breaths as Harry, carefully unsticking it from the covers next to it, pulled the book gingerly off the shelf. To Harry's relief, it was whole.

"Anytime, Mr Potter," Snape said, his tone a blend between 'get moving now' and 'you're welcome'. Harry was fairly sure it was intended to be the former.

Clutching their books, both of them hurried back to their table.

"I got your ingredients," Hermione nodded to the two piles near their borrowed cauldrons.

"Thanks," they whispered back.

Ron quickly flipped to the correct page of his new book whilst Harry did so more cautiously using his. Reading the title, Harry wondered if they'd ever really learn to bottle glory or stopper death. Setting that thought aside, he read not only the author's directions on how to prepare the 'Draught of Living Death' but the previous owner's notes as well.

Later, when he'd created a potion that even Snape had problems criticizing, Harry wondered if any book would adequately replace this one.

§§§§§

'_This is too good of a potion for Potter – no matter how much he'd studied over the summer.'_ Severus groused as he examined the results of his NEWTs class' work.

'_That book – it looked rattily familiar,'_ Clarence murmured. '_The one he got from the cupboard.'_

'_The stain on the cover – it was ours when we were in this class,'_ Oliver sighed, _'That explains why the potions looks so correct – it's yours.'_

'_How did Potter get my book? How did my book end up in the cupboard?'_ Severus frowned as he tried to think of the last place he'd seen his NEWTs potions book. It wasn't one he kept track of, unlike his Mastery books.

'_Maybe Albus? Maybe the school?'_ he could hear Danny's shrug, _'It doesn't truly matter. What matters is that he has it and -'_

'_And it'll be a boon to him.'_ Ty cut in, _' It's not like he's had time to focus on learning everything, or the will. But he does need to know it. Your book will give him success where he needs it so he will gain interest in the skill again and then learn.'_

Clarence made an agreeing noise as the other two chimed in vocally.

'_He'll return it when he gets his own copy of the book,'_ Severus reminded them.

'_It might be better if he didn't,'_ Ty said softly. _'It's not like you can write your notes in that manner on the board, and he seems to learn better from them.'_

'_Just once doesn't mean he can,'_' Clarence countered.

'_So, we need more evidence.'_ Oliver mused, _'Let him keep it until we are sure – then we can make a decision.' _

Severus was surprised that he agreed.

§§§§

Sitting near the lake that afternoon, Ron flopped back onto the grass. Harry leant against a tree and Hermione was sitting near Ron.

"He made sure we had a book," Harry shook his head, still not quite believing Snape had been that … normal.

"I know, mate," Ron turned towards him, using a hand to shield the sun from his eyes. "Maybe it was so we couldn't share?"

Hermione sighed but kept reading her book. Harry chuckled. Ron was most likely right, but even that level of consideration, that lack of pettiness, still amazed him. And not just from Snape. He would admit, though, Snape's role reversal warmed his heart.

"Your mum agreed to use the money I sent her to buy our books?" Harry nudged Ron's shoulder to draw his attention from staring at Hermione.

"Yours, yes, and mine grudgingly too," Ron sounded shocked, "The only reason I can think of is that the twins have our two copies. We had to buy my books this year because of that."

Harry smiled, glad that he could pay the Weasleys back for taking care of him that summer, even if just a little.

"She said," Ron continued, "that our potions kits should be here by the end of the week. She's restocking them."

"Fred and George are all right with us using theirs until then?" Harry asked as Hermione looked up from her book, waiting for Ron's answer.

Ron nodded, "Mum told them to, but they'd already agreed even before that."

Harry nodded. He planned to return the new one and keep the ratty one solely because of the useful notes in the margins.

Relieved, Harry quietly thanked Merlin for his friends. _'And for this strange change in Snape, too.'_

He hadn't honestly expected Snape to tell him the information that summer, no matter the deal during the Occlumency lessons, but the man had. Short, to the point, without time to develop lots of questions before he was sent away, but he was told. He, Ron, and Hermione had combed through the tale and tied it back to everything they knew. This, in turn, had created a multitude of questions that he knew wouldn't be answered.

Stretching his legs out, he let out a loud sigh. "Then we might not get kicked out."

"Not for this at least," Ron agreed. He leant closer to Hermione, making sure Harry could still hear him, "We're still going to attempt to learn how to cast the Patronus Charm this year? And Harry, you're helping us?"

Harry and Hermione agreed.

§§§§§

The OWL and NEWT tutorials were announced the beginning of the second week of school. Hermione cheered far louder than anyone not sitting at the Ravenclaw table.

Harry, Ron and Hermione went to see Hagrid for tea after the first couple of Magical Creatures tutorials.

"Yeah, we're teachin' Defence," Hagrid answered Hermione's to the point question.

"Why?" Ron asked even as Hermione smiled.

"Cause we agreed to," Hagrid nudged his rock cakes towards them, "Couldn't let the Ministry send us another Professor, not after Umbridge las' year. So, we got the best we could and agreed ter teach the upper years."

Hermione frowned, "Does Professor Mornstar know?

Hagrid gulped his drink, "Now, Hermione, that'd be rude. No, the professor was told to focus on gettin' used to teachin' and that we'll handle her tutorial. Snape even said it with hardly a sneer."

The three burst out laughing, but Harry catalogued that into the new image of Snape. Settling back with his tea, he remembered the start of changing Snape's image – or rather convincing all the old Gryffindors to not prejudice the First Years against him. It had taken Harry and Ron explaining their experiment and the things that happened with Neville, but they'd agreed. _'Some are trying too. No-one wants to be the reason Snape hates us. It took some talking, but everyone pretty much understands that we inherited this mess and it won't be an easy fix._ A hint of a smile curled his lips behind the rim of his cup, _'But to be honest, we'd all love to say we fixed the issue. It's a challenge – a chance to show we are brave, that we are reckless in a good way. A true Gryffindor level task.'_

§§§§§

Harry, Ron, and Hermione met up in the Room of Requirements. It was the same room configuration they'd used for the DA before Harry turned the information over to Flitwick.

"Okay, mate, we know the spell," Ron paced a bit, looking around the room, "the Patronus spell, incantation _Expecto Patronum._ If it was that easy, then anyone could cast it."

Harry grinned, "You need to hold a happy thought in mind. That's what Lupin told me. The happier the thought, the stronger your Patronus is – from wisps all the way up to corporeal."

"That's not all," Hermione interjected, "not everyone can cast it. Only those who truly know themselves – has had to confront parts of themselves and acknowledge them in some fashion – can cast it. That's why it's not taught here, most teens are still learning who they are, and many have not been in situations that they would have had to uncover their true self." She shrugged at Harry, "You have, and we might have too with all the things we've gotten up to with you."

Ron laughed, "Thanks, mate. You've helped us learn who we really are." He stopped, "But you cast your first one years ago, while you were still learning who you were, could it have changed? Would you be disappointed?"

Harry stared at Ron. _'I still don't know it if has, but does it matter?'_ He'd thought about this off and on since the birds flew about his mind, guarding it, but he'd yet to have an answer. "Maybe?"

Hermione gave a quick nod, "It won't mean your father's left you, just that you've grown up. All children leave the shelter of their parents and become themselves. They're still with you, but not dictating things."

Pulling his wand, Harry cast quickly, refusing to think about what he'd do if it had changed. His memory changed automatically. This time it was the happiness he felt the first time he'd succeeded at Occlumency combined with the wonder of when Snape treated him as a student for the first time. It was blurred with the joy of seeing Ron and Hermione over the summer. "_Expecto Patronum."_

A bird flew from his wand. It could have been one of the ones that guarded his mind. His chest felt tight at once, he'd lost one more connection to his parents.

"A sparrow hawk!" Ron exclaimed, a smile lighting up his face. "Mate, I'm sorry if you're sad, but this one suits you well."

Harry watched in silence as the hawk found a perch to observe the area, looking around for danger. Not finding anything, it flew back to Harry and landed on his shoulder. There was no weight, but he could still feel it. The knot of grief loosened. Hermione was right, he'd become his own person.

"Since you know how to cast it, give it a try," Harry said while wondering how long his own would remain on his shoulder if he did nothing.

Ron screwed up his face in concentration before attempting. Nothing came from his wand.

Hermione's attempted ended the same way. Harry's sparrow hawk vanished as he concentrated on helping them.

§§§§§

By October, Severus cautiously relaxed his guard. He wasn't sure exactly what was happening, but he was willing to accept the Gryffindors acting like students and not wastes of space.

'_It's good that we had all the other years' classes before the First Years,'_ Oliver noted not for the first time.

'_Yeah, it let us give them a chance,'_ Danny added.

Severus knew the others agreed, they'd had this conversation numerous times.

'_I bet it's because of Harry,'_ Ty said for the first time – changing the conversation's pattern. _'When he tried in class last year, you rewarded him.'_

'_I did not!'_ Severus exclaimed.

'_In a way you did,'_ Clarence said, _'Just by not being as negative.'_

'_He even got his Weasley participating,'_ Oliver noted, _'and you rewarded his behaviour, too.' _

Severus thought back, attempting to determine if this was true. _'It was the natural thing to do. What I do with all students who try.'_

'_How many Gryffindors have truly tried before now?'_ Oliver asked.

'_Well, maybe Harry and his Weasley decided to use this to convince the other to try,'_ Ty suggested.

"If so, I'll be very grateful," Severus muttered aloud as he stirred his cauldron. And he would, maybe then he could appease Minerva and have a few more Gryffindors in his NEWT class. They needed more reckless Aurors out there.

§§§§§

Harry flipped the page of his Defence book, reading as much as he could for the essay Professor Mornstar had set them to write. Sure, Hagrid had explained that were actually learning the material elsewhere, but they were still responsible for the work in the class. Add to that, they had Snape's tutorial next. _'Besides, she's not too bad. With some practice, she might be as good as Moony.'_

"Excuse me, Harry?" a timid voice piped up just behind him.

Harry turned to see a second year twisting her thumbs, as her eyes darted between him and Ron. "Yes?"

"I … I wanted to thank you."

Harry searched his memory, attempting to determine what he'd done. "I'm sorry, but what for?"

"For telling us how to make it in Snape's class," the girl's lips turned up in a smile. "You saved my friendship! My best friend, Clara, she was put into Slytherin and we'd been struggling ever since. I just didn't understand how she could respect Snape, but now … now I get it.

"We've been good – trying, studying, not playing, not retaliating against the Slytherins for months now – and it's working! Clara and I were even allowed to partner up! It's like he realized I wouldn't hurt his snake. And … and … and he took points from as well as gave detention to Dennis McClarty!"

Harry tried to remember who McClarty was but drew a blank.

"He's the worst at messing up everyone's potions. Snape caught him yesterday. He'd just sabotaged Mary's potion. I'd never seen Snape that mad!"

A warm feeling welled up in Harry, "I'm glad it's working."

The girl nodded the turned to go, "Oh! I'm Adriana Pruce. Clara's always telling me to remember to introduce myself."

Ron chuckled, "Sounds like she's a good friend then."

Adriana nodded quickly, "She is! That's why I couldn't believe she was put into Slytherin. I mean, if their Head of House was like that – the ones in there had to be too. That's why seeing Snape acting like this is so wonderful. It means we need to rethink how we treat Slytherins as well. That's what my dorm mates and I think. There are several First Years who think so too."

With that and a wave, she ran off to the group who were waiting for her.

"Mate, do you think it'll be that easy?" Ron whispered.

Harry shook his head, "For some, maybe, but not all of them."

"Some are better than none," Hermione set her quill down. "If they find friendship in the other Houses, then maybe the bad ones in the House will have less influence."

Ron drew a deep breath before letting it out slowly as realization dawned on his face, "So, we can prevent dark, bad wizards by showing them another way?"

Hermione shook her head, "No, by accepting that ambition, cunning, and drive are okay traits to have."

Ron narrowed his eyes as he stared into the fire.

Harry grinned, "Just look at your brothers."

Ron transferred his look to Harry.

"The twins have all three of those attributes in spades. So does Percy. And Bill too from the stories you've told me." He flashed his best mate a grin as Ron's jaw sagged. "And even you have them. You have things you want to achieve."

Ron shook his head, "But those aren't our defining characteristics!"

"No, they're not, but they're there. So what else can be in the other Houses?" Hermione asked. "Could there be a recklessly, brave Hufflepuff? A brilliant, bookish Slytherin? A Ravenclaw that believes in fair play?"

"People are people," George dropped onto the sofa next to Harry.

Fred's voice came from over their heads, "And that's the lesson we've all learnt this year. Snape is actually a person with a real person's reactions."

"And so are the other Slytherins," Lee added from behind Hermione.

George's smile was echoed by Fred as they said together, "And a number of Slytherins have money and love pranks and practical jokes."

Ron looked from one to the other before he started laughing.

§§§§§

'People are People' somehow because the phrase that was heard from all Houses. It didn't stop the fights, it didn't stop pranks, but it did somehow – at least in the lower years – mitigate the House feuds, changing them back into a healthy rivalry.

It didn't change Harry's wondering what Malfoy was up to. First off, Malfoy's father was undoubtedly mixed up with the Chamber of Secrets thing. _'Not that he should be compared to his father. The necklace was definitely him though. I can hold him accountable for that.'_

He couldn't prove the poisoned mead was Draco's fault, and he still had no idea what the blond was doing in the Room of Requirements. _'If it's anything like we were doing, Voldemort's followers are in there.'_

Walking into Snape's room, he wondered if the man could help him.

"Welcome to your NEWT tutorial," Snape leant against his desk, his eyes watching the last few trickled in behind Harry. "As you need more tutoring in Defence, that is what we shall be focusing on. Leave your things and follow me."

A locking spell hit the door as the last person walked out. Spinning sharply, Snape walked them deeper into the dungeon and signalled for them to enter a room Harry had no idea existed. There were no desks inside, but there was also no dust. Snape tapped his wand on the board and a list – a long list – of spells appeared.

"These shall be our focus this week. Report here from now on." His black gaze travelled over them. "Today, you have no need to write. Partner up, draw your wand, and attempt to take your partner down – not permanently." He paused a moment, "Or send them to Madam Pomfrey." He waited until they were sorted. "Begin."

After he succeeded in getting Ron to surrender, Harry glanced around. His eyes widened as he realized how many students' first lessons were vastly different than his and Ron's. _'I guess they'll learn to carry their wands on them.'_ He tried not to wince as Snape ordered a wandless girl back to her partner. Ron nudged him and pointed out two wandless Hufflepuffs successfully dodging their partners' attacks, and as he watched, one took the wand from their partner and pinned them.

"Well done, Miss Steamer," Snape's voice cut the babble and everyone turned to see who he complimented.

The petite, dark-skinned girl beamed as she gave her partner back his wand.

Snape continued, "As Miss Steamer has shown, wandless doesn't mean hopeless. Though one should always carry their wand, knowing the spells that are coming your way and how to avoid them can help. One partner, put your wand away and begin again. If you left your wand, your position is already chosen."

Harry tucked his away and grinned at Ron. This might truly help. Maybe not with NEWTs, but with survival.

§§§§§

Severus decanted Sybill's potion into the tiny phials and then checked on the salve to make sure it had set. It had taken until Christmas Holiday, but they'd perfected the combinations. If Sybill took the potions and used the salve at the same time, she could burn standard incense in her room.

Packing them up into a storage container, he went to deliver them. Sybill met him at the door, a small smile curling her lips. "Thanks, Severus. This helps a lot."

Severus set the case on her desk, "Poppy told me that fewer students are using headache potions after your class."

"Oh, good!" She beamed, "They are doing far better with their lessons also. They are seeing things clearly where once they were cloudy and uncertain. Tea leaves, crystal balls, flame readings … all of them."

"That's good to hear," Severus turned to leave, "Will you be coming to dinner tonight?"

"Severus," she called out.

He turned back, his head tipped to the side. Her eyes went wider than normal behind her glasses, and her voice dropped almost an octave, "The end is nigh … coming as the year closes … the prophecy is the key."

Sybill blinked, "I'll be at dinner." She paused, "Are you okay?"

Severus nodded slowly, "Just fine. I'll see you later."

He clambered down the ladder and mulled on her words as he returned to his lab.

§§§§§

Severus kept the frown off his face when Dumbledore's Patronus appeared. It crashed down when he heard the Headmaster's message.

"Severus, I've followed young Mr Malfoy through the vanishing cabinet. The young man has somehow repaired it. I'm in Knockturn Alley where a group of Death Eaters are gathered to travel through the cabinet on this side. I, of course, broke the connection as I arrived. I've sent a message to the rest of the Order and Shacklebolt to let the Auror division know. Help Minerva take care of the school."

'_Take care of the school?'_ Clarence fussed, _'You need to be there!'_

'_Not if Voldemort is going to be. If the lich sees him fighting on the wrong side, it can be bad,'_ Oliver rebutted.

'_Then we need to see if Harry can get into the pink __barrier around the pedestal in the cave. __Even Filius agrees that the locket is probably the phylactery,'_ Danny said quickly.

'_But Harry can get hurt,' _Ty sounded truly more worried than Severus thought he should be.

"He can get hurt here, and this way we can possibly destroy the locket," Severus grumbled. "So, you're all to think of how he can do so from everything I've read and heard from the others."

With that, he strode from his room to find Minerva and Filius.

"I received the same message, Severus," Minerva searched his face, "but if you honestly think you need to go, then do so."

Filius and Pomona both nodded, before Filius said, "I agree, if Severus thinks he needs to go, he needs to."

"He knows You-Know-Who better than the rest of us," Pomona added in, "He might have a better idea on how to defeat him."

Pomona stayed behind as Filius and Severus left Minerva's office. Severus had a feeling the herbalist was going to explain their hypothesis about Voldemort being a lich.

"Mr Potter is in the Great Hall," Filius murmured as they walked quickly down the hall. "There should be some sort of material with runes that has to be destroyed."

Severus lifted an eyebrow, "You think I'm taking Potter?"

"Without a doubt," Filius said as he rushed them down the hall, running at twice their speed, "It _is_ the right time of year. Mr Potter's adventures do tend to happen at the end of the term. I'll cover for him being missing."

Not bothering to argue, Severus shot a look at the smaller professor when he stopped him outside the door.

"I'll get him for you. Summon some brooms," Filius rushed through the door and was back with the teen just a moment later.

All three walked out of the castle before Severus handed Potter one of the brooms. "I'll explain things later. Right now we need to be leaving, Potter."


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: I'm begging forgiveness - this one is late all because of me. Yen, the darling that she is, has been patiently waiting on me. _

_Chapter 5_

Potter mounted the broom and flew off to the edge of the grounds with Severus following. It didn't take long for them to be outside the gates.

"Leave the brooms here," Severus opened a small hidden shed and put his broom inside. Potter ducked in behind him to do the same.

"You'll have to trust me, Mr Potter," he held out his hand hoping Potter would take it. The boy had trusted him this past summer.

Potter searched his face before taking his hand.

"Hold tight," Severus said and Apparated them to the same small outcropping that Albus had taken him to earlier. "This way."

"Sir?" Potter fell into step with him, his curiosity apparent in the tone of his voice.

"Professor Dumbledore is currently facing a number of Death Eaters and possibly the Dark Lord himself in Knockturn Alley." Severus directed Potter into the cave after nicking his own hand and bleeding on the wall. "Professor Flitwick, Sprout, and I decided there is a possibility that the Dark Lord is a lich."

"Lich?"

Severus glanced back. "Lich – you won't learn about them unless you self-study or are going for your Mastery in Defence against Dark Arts," Severus stopped next to boat Albus had pointed out. "In with you, Mr Potter. Do not touch the water."

Both clambered in carefully and Severus cast a propulsion charm. Watching the water carefully, he continued explaining, "They are magical beings that imbue an item with a bit of their soul and then lock it up somewhere away from them. Of course, they die during this. So, they are the … worst type of undead. The only way they can be defeated is if their phylactery – that is, their soul receptacle – is destroyed."

The boat bumped the other shore and they disembarked. "Professor Dumbledore showed me this artefact," Severus gestured towards a pedestal rising out of the centre of the island, "the day you joined the Weasleys this past summer. The others agree that it is most likely the phylactery."

"Why bring me?" Potter asked as they approached the pedestal.

Severus sighed, "Because it is shielded in a way that none of us – including Dumbledore – can get through. It has a parameter that must be met." He stopped near the pink shield. "It can't hurt you to try. The Dark Lord did something that fateful Halloween, something that left a mark on you."

Potter stared at the locket in the depths of the basin and lifted his hand. "The locket … that's what you think is a phylactery?"

Severus nodded, "The moment it pushes you away, do not resist."

"Okay," Potter reached his hand towards the locket. He paused when he touched the shield but then was through it.

Severus watched as the pink engulfed the teen's arm, "Potter, can you get out?"

"Let me get the locket and then I'll find out." Potter reached further in.

"Wait! Check first for see if there are any other protections," Severus snapped. He passed the teen a feather and a stone, "Don't touch it unless both of them can."

The stone would see if the locket was protected from other inanimate objects from touching it, and the feather would test what would happen if something living touched it.

"Sure," Potter flashed him a smile as he took them both and stepped closer to the pedestal. The pink shield completely enveloped his upper body.

'_Get him out of there!'_ Ty yelled.

'_He's not in pain and he said he'd do so once he has the locket,'_ Oliver replied for Severus.

Severus ignored them both as he watched Potter drop the rock onto the locket. It bounced off the surface with no ill effect. The teen then did the same with the feather. Still, nothing happened.

"Gently touch the surface with the feather while holding it," Severus leant close, almost pressing against the shield, his wand out and his eyes glued to the locket. He wasn't sure if he could do anything but he hoped.

Potter carefully touched the locket with the tip of the feather, and when nothing happened, he brushed his fingertips across the metal surface.

Nothing happened.

Severus stepped back as the teen slid his fingers under the locket, picking it up gently. The pink shield completely surrounded all of Potter now.

"It's kind of tingly, but not much," Potter said as he stepped away from the pedestal, the chain dangling from his hand.

"Can you leave the shield?" Severus moved further back, turning so that one eye was watching the lake.

The shield followed every step the young man took, keeping him completely encased.

'_It's about time you called him that,'_ Ty interjected.

'_Now is not the time,'_ Severus snapped back with Oliver and the others joined in.

A ripple in the water caught his attention. "Head for the boat, slowly." He turned his head so that Potter was in his peripheral vision and watched the water, his hand tightening on his wand. Small ripples continued to form until the pink shield flared wider and brushed the lake's surface.

"Back, Potter!" Severus barked.

The young man scrambled back several steps, his wand now in his hand. Severus kept pace, horror and revulsion churning his insides as inferi rose en masse.

'_Fiendfyre, Severus,'_ Clarence murmured, _'it's our only hope. We'll help to control it the best we can.'_

The rest chimed in their assurance.

"Up against the pedestal, Potter, and cast a bubble-head charm. Then do nothing until I tell you." A bubble surrounded his own head as he kept pace with Potter, his back just a hairsbreadth from the shield. He kept an eye on the silently approaching inferi and another on the water. He hoped to only cast this spell once. Soon the entire island but a small spot where he and Potter stood was populated. The inferi in front of him lunged.

'_Cast!'_ Oliver yelled.

Severus flicked his wand and gouts of magical flames shot forth, knocking back the attackers. The fire continued to flow and he struggled to control its path – making it curve to take out the nearest inferi. The front of the cursed fire looked like a hawk striking its prey. The inferi on the other side of it started moving towards them.

'_Don't worry, Severus, we've got this,'_ Danny murmured and the fiendfyre broke into four other animals – a fox, a bull, a large cat, and a rabbit. They fell amongst the inferi, running in different directions when Severus' flame hawk dove down, the flames trailing its wings burning all in their wake.

Sweat popped out on Severus' brow as he forced his will upon the flames. He didn't know how long he held the spell, but all five flaming animals dashed into the lake when the inferi were gone. The water boiled, rocking the boat to and fro, but he was able to cancel the spell.

'_If we have to fly Harry back across, we will,'_ Clarence said, sounding exhausted.

Nothing else came out of the water and the boat settled. Severus cancelled his bubble-head charm and turned back to Potter. The teen's face was pale behind his bubble-head, but his wand was steady in his hand and he cancelled his own charm.

"Shall we try again, Potter?" Severus asked and waved him towards the boat.

Potter cautiously walked towards it, his wand held at the ready. The shield flared again when Potter made it to the water's edge. Both watched the water carefully, but when nothing happened, Severus tipped his head towards the boat.

They stepped into the boat and Severus propelled them across, both of them watching the water carefully. At the cave opening, Potter held up the locket. "Where are we taking this?"

Severus studied it, "Professor Flitwick has researched the phylactery exhaustively. I also think he might know how to release you from the shield."

"How am I going to get back?" The teen cast him a worried look through the pink shield.

Pulling another feather from his robe, Severus offered a part of it to Potter. He was pleased to see it go through the shield. "I'll make this into a portkey, but it has to be done outside of the cave."

Green eyes darted about, "Kind of like Hogwarts – no magical travel?"

"I believe so," Severus stepped through the entrance. Potter moved to follow, but the hand with the locket couldn't go through. Severus scowled, "I see it needs to be destroyed here."

Those green eyes filled with shock and worry. "I can't get it out of the shield..."

"You should be able to do it, Potter," Severus tried for a reassuring tone, "Be prepared to dodge or shield. Don't trust the pink shield to protect you."

He walked back into the cave, Potter following. It was just a few steps inside, but it was enough for whatever was keeping the locket in to stop acting. Potter set the locket on the ground and took three steps back. Severus was disappointed that the shield expanded to keep the locket and Potter both enclosed.

Potter looked at Severus – his question evident on his face.

"You need to open it. Inside should be a scrap of something with writing on it. The scrap needs to be completely destroyed." Severus drew a deep breath and dismissed what he thought the locket was. "I can bring you a rock to smash it open if you can't get it to do so with a spell. I ask that you don't try to physically open it."

"I can pick it up, but okay," Potter hunkered down to peer at it closer. "Can you get me a stick, or do you have a couple of stirring rods?"

Severus raised an eyebrow but pulled two metal stirring rods out of a small bag hanging off his waist. Potter laughed as he reached for them. As he passed them through the shield, Severus wondered why things could get through now but not earlier. He leant closer, his fingers once again a hairsbreadth from the pink wall. He could feel the magic crackling and sparks flew at him. Flinching back, he was barely brushed by what appeared to be pink lightening.

'_Looks like Force lightning,'_ Danny observed.

Severus ignored him while he watched Potter pick up the locket, the stirring rods next to him.

"It seems to be a simple clasp. I'll try to use the stirring rods to open it before smashing the whole thing," Potter looked over his shoulder at him. "I wouldn't mind a couple of rocks, though."

"A moment, then," Severus found a fist-sized one and rolled it through the shield before finding another that was almost the size of Potter's head. This one he carefully pushed through.

"Thanks, sir," Potter picked up the smallest one and weighted the chain with it, then braced the hinge side of the locket against the largest one.

Severus quickly found two more, just in case smashing was necessary, and rolled them in earning him a grin. _'He's treating me more like a companion than a teacher, much less a hated teacher.'_

'_That's because you've been doing the same.'_

He could hear Ty's grin in his words.

'_And if this works out the way we hope,'_ Danny joined in, _'Then you'll just go back to being teacher.'_

He nodded slightly in agreement as he watched Potter try to pry open the locket with the rods. His grip tightened around his wand as he held his breath, knowing there was nothing he could do to help while the stirring rods slipped over the metal.

Huffing, Potter kept trying.

Finally, in frustration, Potter glared at it and growled, "Open! Voldemort needs this to happen. Honestly!"

The sarcasm was so heavy Severus could feel it even through the frustration in Potter's voice.

The locket shuddered.

Both Potter and he stared at it, then their eyes meet. A thoughtful look filled Potter's face as he turned back to the locket and hissed.

The locket opened.

Potter reached for the fragment resting inside, his eyes partially glazed over.

"Potter!" Severus snapped to no effect. "HARRY! Stop now! Do. Not. Touch. That. With. Your. Bare. Hands!"

The younger man jerked back, blinking his eyes while shaking his head clear. "Thanks, professor."

He picked up the stirring rods and pushed the parchment out. Severus compressed his lips. He had too much experience with the Dark Arts not to recognize tanned human skin. He also recognized almost every rune that adorned it. "Can you turn it over, Harry?"

Green eyes darted to him and then, with the stirring rods, Potter did as Severus asked.

Reading over the last of the writings, Severus sighed. "There is no written protection. Try to burn it, but back up as far from it as you can."

"Okay," Potter was able to push the shield almost fifty feet before he cast the basic fire spell. Flames dances along the edge of the skin but didn't damage it.

"Try acid," Severus murmured, "and if that doesn't work, I'll teach you a stronger fire spell."

The acid spell pitted it, but the runes were unharmed. Over the next ten minutes, Severus ran Potter through successively stronger fire and acid spells.

"Do the last one," Severus pushed a phial through the barrier, "but pour this on it first."

He was glad no one who'd recognize Napalm was there. He didn't want to explain why he carried it. "Once you've poured it, run back here, put up your absolute best shield against heat and fumes, and cast." Severus reached into his robes again, "No, take this first."

His words stopped Potter part way to the locket. The younger man took the phial offered him, looked at the thin blue potion inside, popped the top and swallowed it quickly. He started panting and shivering.

"Move, Potter, quickly!"

Potter rushed across to the skin, dumped the Napalm on it, and ran back. He almost dropped his wand twice while casting both the Incendiary spell and the Shield spell.

The Napalm caught and the flames erupted through the entire shielded area. Fear crept through Severus when he lost sight of Potter.

'_His shield will hold,'_ Clarence reassured him.

'_But maybe a Bubble Head charm wouldn't have been amiss,'_ Oliver added.

A minute passed, and in those sixty seconds, Severus' fear climbing as high as the flames.

When they died away, he rushed to where he could see Potter on the ground never noticing the pink shield was gone. The teen's lips and fingertips were blue. A quick diagnostic spell had him holding the teen close to his chest while forcing down the antidote to the Perpetual Cold Potion he'd given the teen earlier.

"Come on, Potter, wake up," Severus chaffed his arms and wrists.

"Snap... Snape?"

Severus forgave the lack of title. "Yes, Potter."

"Is it … is it gone?"

It was then that he realized that the pink shield was missing.

"I'll check," He carefully lowered Potter back to the ground, his hand lingering under his head. "You stay still while the potion works."

Crossing to where the necklace and skin were, Severus studied the ground. The locket and his stirring rods were melted beyond recognition. The green stone was still whole, sitting in a puddle of molten metal. _'There must be a very strong protection on the stone. Even the ground is cracked.'_ He summoned the stone, putting it into a potions collection container. Carefully searching the entire area, he could not find the skin. Severus hoped it hadn't disappeared to a different location. "It's gone."

He walked back over to Potter. "I'll take you back to the school and see if the Headmaster has returned."

Potter levered himself to his feet and gave a full-body shake. "If he's not back, can I come?"

"Where, Mr Potter?" Severus asked as they walked out and reached to take the teen's hand.

"To Knockturn," Potter took his hand and pleading green eyes meet his. "I'll stay out of the way and try to get people to safety while you help."

Severus seriously doubted that but also knew he'd find a way to get to the battle – somehow. Gripping Potter's hand tighter, he Apparated them to Diagon Alley, near the entrance of Knockturn Alley.

§§§§§

Harry couldn't believe that Snape actually brought him. A wand tapped him on the top of his head, making him feel like an egg was drizzling down on him.

"You're Disillusioned," Snape said, "that means most will have problems seeing you. If you stay still, you'll be partially invisible. So watch out for people as they won't see you. If you cast anything, it can reveal your location."

"Okay," Harry said out loud after he'd realized that Snape wouldn't see his nod. "I'll stick near you."

"Unless I get into the thick of things. I brought you because you agreed to stay out of the way and save people."

"How can I save people who can't see me?"

"Speak to them."

"Yes, sir," Harry sighed.

Snape led them into the alley, his eyes darting to and fro. Harry looked around and noticed that the fight had reached a standstill. Death Eaters hiding on one side and Order members along with Aurors hiding on the other. Snape flattened himself against a building on the right side of the alley and moved carefully out of sight of both sides. Partway to the Order's side, he stopped, grabbed two men, and glared down at Malfoy. Without a word, he ushered the three of them into a slip of space between two buildings. Harry squeezed in behind them, brushing Snape slightly to let him know.

"Are there any others who'd prefer to not show allegiance to either side?" Snape asked without preamble.

Malfoy and the other two looked at each other and then back at Snape.

"Why do you think we're neutral?" The taller of the two unknowns asked.

With a raised eyebrow, Snape drawled, "Mr Short, do not insult my intelligence. I've taught the three of you."

"We … could have … changed," the other mumbled.

"Not that likely, Mr Miller," Snape shifted his attention to Malfoy and waited.

"I'm not complaining – but you are supposed to be in the Inner Circle. Why are you doing this?" Malfoy asked.

All three looked at Snape and Harry turned his gaze to the imposing Potions Master, all waiting for his answer.

"Because, Mr Malfoy, I am first and foremost the Head of Slytherin. When you joined my house, I informed you that my first priority was to make sure you were capable of achieving your dreams. I never put a time frame on that."

Harry felt his jaw sag and a quick glance at the others he could tell they were just as shocked.

Short regained his composure first, "Tammy and Andrew – Billet and Crew – don't want to be out there either."

"Are any of you marked?" Snape looked at the three and they shook their heads.

"Neither are Billet and Crew," Miller added, "They're on the other side, behind where the Dark Lord is taunting the Headmaster."

It was then that Harry realized he could hear Voldemort's voice off in the distance. Dumbledore's was a soft counterpoint to his smug tones.

Snape pinned each with a look and even shot one at Harry. "Stay here while I return with the other two. If the fighting breaks back out, do not involve yourselves with it."

"Yes, sir."

Harry barely refrained from answering out loud. Snape slipped away and Harry moved close enough to the building's edge to watch as the professor confidently moved behind Voldemort's group and then grabbed two others the same way he did Short and Miller and began bringing them back with him. It was then that the fight broke back out.

Harry wasn't sure if it was because an Order member saw Snape or if an Auror did, but someone on that side shouted and the spells began flying.

Snape ducked and pushed the two others back with him, keeping them and himself safe along the way with spells tossed about, hitting members of both sides. Harry darted back out of the way as the three dodged into the opening.

Flattening against the wall, Harry watched as the five others stared up at Snape who now stood between them and the battle raging.

"Why?" Tammy Billet asked as she pulled her mask off her face.

The other – Andrew Crew if Harry remembered his name right – did the same but only after noticing that all of them were maskless.

Short answered, "Because Professor Snape asked us who else really didn't want to be out there."

"Snape should be out there!" She whisper yelled, "You're part of the inner circle – the Dark Lord's most trusted."

Short turned towards Snape, a question in his eyes, "I didn't think you'd get them – they're not Slytherins."

Snape straightened up, his shoulders squaring as he looked at them. Harry was positive that those dark eyes darted towards him as well. "As a Head of House, we do not just protect our own houses, but all the students in Hogwarts. Yes, four of you may no longer reside in those halls, but as you identify with your house, you still deserve the protection that I, as a Head of House, can afford you."

Billet frowned, "It didn't seem that way when I was at school. I know Professor Flitwick would listen and take care of us Eagles, but ..."

"Sprout always took care of us," Crew spoke for the first time, "but I don't think she'd be proud of what I've done."

"Maybe we can do something to stop this?" Short asked, his eyes brightening with just a touch of hope as they looked up at Snape.

"They won't listen to us," Miller sighed.

"No, but they would listen to Hogwarts," Malfoy said.

Harry tried not to cheer. He'd been thinking that for the last moment wishing he could say something, but knew Snape would kill him long before the Dark Lord got his hands on him if he did. Snape's eyes rested near him, and Harry did his best to make eye contact and thought really hard. _'You need to symbolize the school. You just said the Heads of House did that – or at least symbolize the House of Slytherin, and then have the others become the symbols of their houses. If you can do the same for me – we'd have all four houses here.'_

Snape's black wand was in his hand, and he aimed it at his robes – transfiguring the black teaching robes into something Harry had never imagined. They were still black – barely – but the hems had snakes, lions, eagles, and badgers scampering around them. The snake of the Slytherin crest coiled up the back of the robes, its head coming over his shoulder and resting on Snape's left breast. Over the right side of the robes was the Hogwarts crest, its motto scrolled out beneath it.

"Mr Malfoy," Snape gestured for the teen to come closer. When he did, Snape transfigured his robes. They were green, bordered with silver on the hems and a large snake that looked like Snape's. Malfoy drew his hood onto his head and his face vanished – only darkness was left.

"Ah, sir?" Billet looked from Malfoy to Snape. "What?"

"As Malfoy said, they would listen to Hogwarts. So, we should represent the school. I am garbed as the Head of Slytherin. Malfoy is as a Slytherin."

She stepped forward, "Then can I be a Ravenclaw?"

A flick of his wand at her and her robes changed to blue with bronzed hems. The eagle looked to be mantling over her shoulders. Its head low on her left breast, the wings going down both arms and the majority across her back. Lifting her hood, she moved to stand next to Malfoy. The other two Slytherins were next, their robes identical to Malfoy's.

Crew glanced at them and then back at Snape. With a slight nod, he approached the Head of House. "Hufflepuff, please, sir."

Snape transfigured his robes into yellow with black hems. A large badger's head was in the same place as the other two houses symbols, its front paws resting on the man's shoulders, and the rest decorating the back of the robes.

"It's a pity we don't have a Gryffindor," Billet said, her voice seemingly coming from nothingness.

Garnering his courage, Harry touched Snape's arm, hoping he would let him join the group.

"Stand still," Snape's wand pointed where he was and Harry forced himself to not dodge as it flicked at him. Another motion had him visible – he had luckily pulled the hood up in time. His robes were now as voluminous as the others but red with gold trim. Glancing down to his chest, he spotted the lion's head and a front paw going just below it. Twisting his head, he spotted the other paw on his right shoulder and the tail curled up onto the right side of the robes from the back.

"Who?" Malfoy asked, his eyes widening.

"A Gryffindor that was accompanying me earlier and became caught up in this." Snape looked at each one, "No names from this point forward. We are representing Hogwarts – a school who's become a foundational unit as our identity in this nation. Each of you are for your house and how they should truly be – working together to improve our world." They nodded their heads. "I'm representing Hogwarts as a whole and specifically the House of Slytherin. We shall step out of here and pull the wounded out of the battle. Do not become embroiled in this fight, but defend each other."

Spinning on his heel, Snape pulled up his own hood, his face vanishing into the darkness, as he walked into the alley.

Harry fell in step with the Hufflepuff as they followed behind Snape. _'I wonder if Snape actually heard my thoughts? I was doing my best to project them.'_ He glanced at the others and lingered on Malfoy wondering if they would honestly protect him. Would he protect them knowing all of them were Death Eaters? _'But they are rejecting Him now by this. Maybe … they were forced, or saw no other way than to become Death Eaters. Or maybe they just made a stupid choice and are dealing with the fallout from it.'_ He knew that feeling – though today made him feel like he'd finally reaped the reward from correcting his mistake with Snape.

All thoughts about earlier vanished as he darted out, eyes searching for anyone nearby that needed help. He and the Ravenclaw went after the same one on Voldemort's side. There was a slight hesitation from both of them, but then they both continued, pulling the girl out from underfoot. Pulling his wand, Harry cast a Moblius spell on her, floating her quickly to the edge of a building. The Ravenclaw cast a shield spell that kept a ricocheted spell from hitting them.

"We should bind her up and stash her wand in a safe location," Ravenclaw mumbled.

Harry nodded and took her wand. He tucked it into his robe while Ravenclaw petrified her and cast magical ropes around her. They dashed after another.

After they'd retrieved the third person they separated, the Ravenclaw pairing up with one of the Slytherins. Harry darted over to the Order's side, determined to save some of them as well.

"Gryffindor!" Malfoy shouted, "Look out!"

A spell shot over his head as he hit the ground. Rolling over, he saw Sirius aiming at Malfoy. Giving up on not speaking, he pointed his wand at his godfather and whispered, "_Immobulus._"

It hit, locking Sirius where he stood. Rushing towards him with Malfoy, they both manhandled him off to the side. Harry tucked his wand into his robe with the others he was carrying while Malfoy cast magical ropes around him.

"Thanks, Gryffindor." Malfoy murmured. "Don't reply, I don't want to know who you are yet."

Harry nodded, grateful.

"Let's go, there are more to collect."

They headed back into the fray.

§§§§§

Severus watched as the Dark Lord became separated from the Death Eaters. _'He's solely focused on Albus. Now might be a good time to distract him. Then maybe we can take him down. How, though, can I do so without getting the others killed?'_ He glared at the space that mocked him for being empty and completely accessible. _'I can get to him, but I would be an easy shot for anyone.'_

Screwing up his resolve, wondering if having the stone with him would help, Severus strode into the no-mans-land that had formed around the Dark Lord. _'Merlin, Salazar … and the other three, grant me protection.'_

"Tom Riddle, you are a disgrace to the Slytherin House." Severus held his wand ready to cast a shield but was prepared to dodge as well.

The Dark Lord whipped around his eyes glowing red. "Who are you?" Red eyes scoured the robe and the Dark Lord sneered, "You think you represent the House of Slytherin? I'm its Heir! I do!"

Even as he asked the Killing Curse flew from his wand. Severus started to dive, but the ground rose up between him and it. He hazarded a look at Albus. _'He cast it. Thank you!'_

No sooner had he thought that than four of the others joined him, boxing the Dark Lord in. Potter was on the opposite corner of him, Billet was to his right and Crew to the left in line with Potter. Malfoy stood next to him, and the other two were still quietly doing as he had told them to do, but he could see they were keeping an eye on the two sides.

Severus stepped beside the rock and returned his gaze to the malevolent red one that was boring into him. "I am the Head of the House of Slytherin, and as the Head of this House, I disown you.**"**

Gasps sounded around him, but he couldn't look away to find out where they were coming from. "Your name is struck from the list. Your rights as a member of this House are revoked. The House of Slytherin does not recognise any deed – good or bad – you have performed as one associated with us."

The Dark Lord snorted and sneered at him, "You have no right nor the power to do so. There is no true Head of the House of Slytherin – for I have not accepted the title. The only person who might have any rights to claim that title – and it's a very weak claim, as it's only an honorary title given by Hogwarts," he gestured to the crest on Severus' robes "is Snape, and he's mine."

Severus waited, hoping that the Dark Lord wouldn't figure out who he truly was. Somehow he needed to convince the Dark Lord that he was truly the Head of House and that was why he couldn't be more than the heir.

"Ah, but I do. As I said, I _am_ the Head of the House, the reason you were only the Heir, and as Head, it is completely within my rights to disown anyone who deserves it." He paused for a moment, "And no one deserves this more than you. You have dishonoured my House and destroyed the trust the House of Slytherin was once afforded from the others."

The Dark Lord's face became mottled, his hands shaking in rage, "I have not! I have brought power and prestige to the House of Slytherin!"

The four corners of their box snorted lightly together and Albus' voice rang out even as all fighting stopped, "By fighting in the streets, Tom?"

Severus moved slightly so that the Dark Lord was still in his sight, but he could see Albus joining them. The Headmaster's wand brushed down the front of his teal robes turning them the same black as Severus' with the same motif scampering around the hems. Where Severus' had just the snake, Albus' had each animal intertwining on the front in a Celtic knot motif, their own colour surrounding them like a glow. As the man stepped closer to the Dark Lord, Severus could see the entire back was the Hogwarts' Crest.

"Your Head of House has disowned you, struck your deeds from the record," Albus took another step closer.

The Dark Lord's scream of rage stopped whatever Albus was going to say next. "Fine! Who cares! Lord Voldemort is my name and that is the one that shall go down in history!"

Severus shook his head, "Voldemort was known as the Slytherin's Heir. It shall be struck from the records as well. You are disowned. You are nothing."

_'Well, that's one way to make him lose it, Severus,'_ Oliver laughed. _'Keep it up and see if we can get a spell in that can take him down.'_

_'And not the Killing Curse,'_ Ty said.

_'We'll be coming up with it while you keep making him mad,'_ Clarence said.

The Dark Lord jab his wand at Severus and snarled, "_Crucio!"_

Even as he moved to get out of the spell's path, Potter chucked the near-empty napalm phial at the Dark Lord, hitting him upside the head. With a quick flick of his wand, Severus shattered the phial, letting the remaining napalm coat the man's robes and made sure nothing touched any one else.

The Dark Lord spun about, his lip curling as he spat, "Gryffindor – you will die!_ Avada Kedavra_!"

Albus flung a crate into the spell's path.

"_Incendio!" _Voldemort shouted, his wand pointed at Albus.

The napalm caught, and Severus watched as the Dark Lord went up in flames. His screams echoed down the alley as he attempted to beat out the flames.

_'Nothing is going to put that out.'_ Clarence said softly.

_'Kill him and stop the children from watching this,'_ Oliver ordered brusquely.

A quick Sectumsempra and the Dark Lord was no more.

Albus looked at him in the eye, making Severus wonder if the Headmaster could see through his darkening spell. "If you would take the younger ones back to the castle?"

He nodded slowly.

"Good," Albus pulled a feather from his pocket and made it into a portkey. "Take this."

Severus accepted the feather, signalled Malfoy to come with him, and crossed over to Potter, giving the burning corpse a wide berth. A small gesture had the young man walking beside him. They stepped into the tiny space between the buildings, he motioned for them to touch the feather and then he activated the portkey.


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: Much thanks to Elflina for pointing out that I needed to explain why Harry could get into the shield to you, I knew and told her and she said you'd all like to know. _

_Also, as normal, many thanks to Yen for cleaning this up to be suitable for your viewing. _

Harry breathed a sigh of relief when they appeared just outside the gates. _'No appearing in some random populated area in the school with people staring at us. Imagine if we'd just popped into existence in the Great Hall dressed like this. No one could see our faces – maybe we could have escaped without people knowing who we were, except Professor McGonagall might have stopped us.'_

Snape tapped his wand against the wrought iron, causing it to swing open and Harry followed him through with Malfoy at his side. No one said a word until they'd neared the edge of the forest and the shore of the lake was visible.

Snape's steps didn't slow, but he turned his head slightly towards them, pushing the hood back so it pooled around his neck, and said, "I am proud of both of you. You did well today."

Malfoy lowered his hood and dragged a hand through his hair. A tired sigh, a tiredness that was echoed on his face, slipped between his lips. "Thank you for coming, sir, and for giving us an option – a chance that we didn't have before." He turned his head towards Harry, "And thank you for your help."

Shock coursed through Harry. Snape knew who he was, knew he was telling Harry Potter that he was proud of him. Malfoy didn't, but he was still thanking a Gryffindor. _'I should let Malfoy know who I am. I mean, he protected me and I protected him. He could be different now, grown-up just like I have. Perhaps, just maybe, we can set this feud aside. Maybe not be friends, but at least not enemies.'_

Harry raised his hands to his hood, watching Snape just in case the man objected. The last thing he wanted to do was to destroy this strange rapport they'd developed. An infinitesimally small nod and quirk of Snape's lips gave him permission. He lowered his hood while watching Malfoy's face. "Thank you for guarding my back, Malfoy."

Malfoy shook his head slightly, "I should have known it was you, Potter. What did Professor Snape have to save you from that had you tagging along to Knockturn today?"

Harry shot a questioning look at Snape. The raised eyebrow seemed to tell him to figure out his answer on his own. "I asked – the Professor had me working on a task when he told me he had to leave for the alley."

Malfoy chuckled, "Detention? Potter, you've got to stop getting those. It's our sixth year, you need to learn how to not do things or not get caught."

Harry could hear the self-depreciation in the other boy's voice and gave an exaggerated shrug, "So, truce? We just continue as students in the same school, same classes, but not enemies?"

Malfoy's gaze studied him before turning to the castle. "Sure, Potter. Not friends – I don't know if I can do that, but not enemies."

Silence reigned for several minutes, all three lost in their own thoughts as they walked.

"Sir?" Harry called out, hoping Snape would hear him, "Is he really gone? Is there a way to know?"

Snape stopped and turned to face them, "There is one way, Potter." He flipped back the left sleeve of his robe and after quickly unbuttoning his coat and arm sleeve, he exposed his forearm that had a smudge of colour resembling a healing bruise on the pale skin. Even as they watched, it faded away.

Snape raised his eyes to meet both of their gazes, "I believe the Dark Lord is truly gone."

Tension Harry didn't even realise he had leaked out of him and looking at the other two, he believed the same thing happened to them. "Thank you."

Dark eyes considered him before Snape nodded his head, "Thank you for all your effort earlier today, Mr Potter. I believe they were what allowed us to finish him off."

Harry felt a swell of something rise up in him, causing his heart to feel lighter and a smile to curl his lips. "You're welcome, sir, but I couldn't have succeeded without you to teach me the spells and provide the potions."

Malfoy looked between them, but just shook his head and continued towards the castle. Harry and Snape joined him, silence once again falling between them, but this time it was a comfortable if tired silence. The type of silence Harry was used to when he, Hermione, and Ron succeeded in their end of year adventures.

It stayed with them until they parted ways at the stairs, and remnants continued to cling to him as the Fat Lady let him into the Common Room.

Ron spotted him first, his eyes widening just before he stood and walked towards the dorms. Hermione jumped up to follow him and Harry trailed behind them. The door shut tight behind them. They knew no one else would come up while they were in there.

Ron sat on his bed with Hermione sitting next to him. Harry to the edge of his own and waited as Ron studied him.

"You know why the school was locked down," he said with no preamble.

Harry nodded, "Yeah, Dumbledore was fighting Voldemort in Knockturn Alley."

Hermione leant forward, her hands grasping the edges of the mattress, "Where were you? Ron and I were worried."

"Snape took me to destroy a locket that belonged to Voldemort. From what I can tell, he thought it somehow was being used to keep him alive." Harry beamed, "I succeeded with his help, and then he was going to bring me back here, but I asked to go to the Alley with him."

Ron cut in, amazement coating his words, "And he agreed, mate?"

Harry nodded, sure he looked as shocked as Ron did. "I think it's because we've been doing good in his class -"

Hermione cut in, "You've been giving him the respect he deserves as a professor."

"Yeah – that," Harry shrugged, "and how well I did what he asked while we were in the cave."

"I bet part of it was that he thought we'd find a way to get there and this way he could keep an eye on you," Ron added in a knowing voice then sighed dramatically, "And that is how Hermione and I both missed the end of it all."

Harry laughed, "Yeah – it would have been great if you could have been there. Sorry I didn't have time to let you know until now."

"He wouldn't have let us come. Instead, we performed our prefect duties," Hermione said. "So, you need to give us all the details."

Glad for his two best friends in the entire world, Harry told them the whole story.

§§§§§

Severus watched as Potter and Malfoy headed towards their respective dorms. _'I wish I could just go to my room, but Minerva needs to be told we are back and what happened. Filius and Pomona should be told as well. I wonder if they be near enough for me to gather them all together.'_

He checked the Great Hall, and not seeing her there, walked towards her office, fairly certain that she won't be in the Headmaster's. Outside of her door, he attempted to transfigure his robe back to its normal black but failed. Stopping, he stared at his wand then his robe. _'Why?'_

_'Maybe you're tired?'_ Danny said.

_'Transfigurations was never your forte,'_ Clarence added.

_'And face it,'_ Ty added, _'you really like them and don't want them to go away.' _

_'Doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to change them back. If I was tired, they should just convert back faster.' _ Severus groused as he tried once again, focusing on his standard black robes. Nothing happened.

_'Stop fussing with them and get in there. Albus will be back shortly and you are going to have to explain yourself to him.'_ Oliver ordered.

Now truly wishing he could go to his room, Severus walked through the door with a perfunctory knock.

"Severus!" Filius called from his seat near the fireplace, "You've returned."

"Mr Potter?" Minerva inquired from her seat on the sofa next to Pomona.

The seat across from Filius was empty and Severus settled into it as he answered while they gaped at his robes, "He has returned to his dorm. We were successful."

"It took that long?" Pomona leant forward, pouring him a cup of tea. "Sybill said you were going to help Albus when I stopped in to check on her earlier."

Three pairs of eyes pinned him, waiting for his answer to her implied question. Even though he was glad they were trusting Sybill's words more, he wished she hadn't revealed that.

_'Albus will probably mention it later anyway; might as well tell them.'_ Oliver said.

"Yes, Mr Potter and I both went to Knockturn Alley and helped end the menace. Albus is finishing cleaning up the mess and should be back shortly," said Severus and then he sipped his tea knowing Pomona would have made it correctly.

_'They haven't made a comment on the robes,'_ said Danny.

_'I think they think that if they do, they won't get any more information,'_ Ty said.

"So, we should wait for Albus so this tale is only told once," Minerva settled back obviously prepared to wait.

The other two followed suit, but Severus wasn't quite ready to. Lunch – rather dinner – would have to wait until later. At least there were small sandwiches with the tea. He focused on Filius once he had a plate of sandwiches and a cup poured. "Why did you insist Mr Potter come along?"

Filius tipped his head to a side as he asked, "Why did you?"

"Sybill said he had to be there and I trusted her," he stated baldly and was surprised when Minerva nodded looking like that was an acceptable reason. "But I didn't tell anyone that, so why did you suggest him before I could?"

Filius sipped his tea as he leant back into his seat, "Because I believed that Voldemort planned on making him another phylactery, and would have started the preparatory work. Then something happened and he wasn't able to complete it – so he was unable to transfer the soul slip into the boy."

'_That's why Harry was able to go through the shield, and probably why you were able to push things through to him. Harry wanted you to!' _ Clarence exclaimed.

The other three made sounds of agreement though Ty sounded slightly sickened at the idea. Severus couldn't blame him – the idea sickened him too.

"So, Potter's ability to access and interact with the phylactery is because he was basically a vessel waiting all this time for a bit of soul?" Severus asked.

Filius nodded.

Pomona and Minerva both turned pale, probably the same colour as he, himself, was now.

'_Harry's face when he reached for the soul slip,' _Danny whispered, _'If he'd touched it ...'_

'_He didn't though,' _Oliver said, a quiet relief heard in his tone.

'_Because Severus stopped him,' _Ty said, _'Thank goodness he listened to you, Severus.'_

'_Thank goodness, indeed.' _Severus replied before pinning Filius with his strongest glare. "And if a mistake had happened and the soul slip had joined the boy?"

Fear chased itself across Filius' face. "It didn't, though."

Severus decided not to tell them just how close it was.

A half an hour later, Albus came in and transfigured himself a chair next to the sofa. Pomona passed him a cup.

"Thank you, my dear," Albus took a long sip and relaxed into the chair. "Severus, why were you where I asked you not to be?"

"I decided to attempt to get to the locket in the cave," Severus finished his sandwich and poured himself another cup of tea. "Filius, Pomona and I all thought it might be Riddle's phylactery. It was Filius' who suggested that Potter might be the one who could get through the protections around it."

"Well," Filius cut in, "was I right?"

Albus signalled him to tell the tale, so Severus did, not leaving any details out, even the reason he took Potter to Knockturn with him. He set the green stone on the coffee table while the other Heads of House agreed with his reasoning for doing so.

"Potter was the one dressed in Gryffindor robes," Albus nodded towards Severus' robes, "who was the other Slytherin? The one who was missing when we were cleaning up. I assume you brought them back with you."

"It was Malfoy. Apart from Potter, the group were all Death Eaters who didn't really want to be one."

"Thank you for taking him away," Albus finished his tea and refilled the cup with a tap of his wand, "Continue telling your tale – you stopped when you made it to the Alley."

Holding back a sigh, knowing Albus wouldn't tell what happened once he left until he satisfied the man's curiosity, he continued the story.

Eventually, after Minerva gave a status report on the school, Albus stood. "We shall have a staff meeting after dinner. Let the students know it is being served in the Great Hall."

All four held back their frustration and left the office. The faster dinner was done, the faster they'd learn Albus' side of the story.

§§§§§

Severus took his customary seat at the staff table, Filius on one side and Sybill on the other. The Seer was smiling and patted his arm in a congratulatory manner.

Albus waited until they all were quiet before beginning, "Today, one of our students opened a passageway to Knockturn Alley from within the school. I followed him, making sure the pathway was closed. While I was there, Voldemort attacked which was the reason I locked the school down. Professor Snape came to retrieve the errant student, during which time he and six others helped to bring down Voldemort."

"He's dead?" Hooch asked in a hushed voice.

Hopeful eyes looked between both Severus and Albus.

"Yes," Albus saved him from speaking, "after which Professor Snape brought the errant student back. The remaining members of his team – all wonderfully dressed in robes that showed their House affiliation – told us who Snape was and how he pulled them into a team.

"Now, you should be expecting the news to be arriving shortly, and there might be families wanting their children to come home. Shall we cancel classes for a few days?"

"We're in the middle of OWLs and NEWTs," said Babbling, "They need to get through the tests and then we can let school out early."

Everyone nodded in agreement and Albus smiled, "Then that is what we shall tell parents. They only have two more days."

§§§§§

"Harry!" Seamus shouted, waking him up.

Harry rubbed his eyes and bolted upright, hoping that nothing horrible had happened. "What?"

Ron snorted even as Dean and Neville pushed the redhead onto his bed,

"Those robes you came back in yesterday," Seamus bounced off Harry's bed and landed near the trunk at its foot, "we want to see them better."

Harry glanced to see Ron laughing before noticing Neville and Dean nodding. Shrugging, he pulled himself out of bed and found where he'd dropped the robes last night. He was shocked they were still there, normally the elves would have cleared them out. He shook them out and pulled them on.

"There you go."

"Oh, mate, those are awesome!" Seamus grabbed one arm and Dean the other, and Harry was pulled out of the dorm and into the common room.

It was then that Harry realised just how much he wanted to hide. The room was full, and every single person wanted to examine his robe from top to bottom.

After what felt like hours, Ron rescued him.

"They really do look great, mate," Ron barred the dorm door and gestured for Harry to change.

Grateful for a chance to get dressed, Harry tossed the robes into the laundry. Somehow he knew they'd make it back to him. "Yeah, they do. Snape did a great job on the transfigurations. I didn't think it would last this long though."

"Yeah, I didn't think so either," Ron peeked out the door before opening it totally. "Maybe Hermione will know why."

With a grin at that normal statement, Harry followed Ron to breakfast.

§§§§§

Severus ran a hand down his robe. He hadn't expected it to last the night, but it had. _'Minerva, Filius, and Pomona all want a set now. I guess I can try later.'_

'_Maybe it's because you are the Head of Slytherin and it's Hogwarts way of recognising your claim.'_Ty mused.

'_I wonder if anything else held true. I mean, you said Riddle's name was going to be struck out. I wonder if it was.'_ Oliver said.

'_Let's go look,'_ Danny urged, _'first to the Headmaster's office to see if he is still recorded as a student in the school.'_

Clarence added, _'And then to the trophy hall.'_

Dressing in a standard robe, Severus headed for the Headmaster's office. The gryphon let him in easily enough, and the enrolment book was not hard to find on the bookshelf. With the portraits all watching him, Severus flipped through the book until he found 1935. Then he scanned each page, looking for his name to appear.

He stopped when he reached 1938. There a name was struck through so thoroughly he couldn't read it. Turning to the next year, there was another name scored out. It was the same until 1946.

Pausing, Severus stared at the book in his hand. Even the voices were quiet.

Eventually, Clarence spoke up,_ 'Check a few more years, just to be sure.'_

Severus flipped through ten more and never saw Riddle's name nor any other name struck out.

'_I wonder if the Book of Admittance has been changed?'_ Oliver asked.

Severus put the Book of Enrolment back on the shelf and headed for the small tower that normally only Minerva entered. There, it didn't take him long to find Tom Riddle's name, and his years at Hogwarts corresponded with the struck out names.

'_We should check the trophy room,'_ Ty whispered into the stunned silence that permeated Severus' mind.

The missing special award plaque had Severus returning to his room to gather his thoughts before breakfast and facing students.

§§§§§

"Harry," Hermione leant over the breakfast table, "you said that the Head of Slytherin House disowned Voldemort, striking him from the records?"

Harry tried to answer around a mouthful of toast. Giving up, he just nodded.

"We need to check the trophy room," Hermione grinned, "Maybe it worked."

Ron's and Harry's eyes widened as did their smile. They both quickly finished breakfast and darted out of the Great Hall to check.

"It's not here," Harry stared at the space the plaque had sat.

"I don't see it anywhere else, either," Ron called from across the room.

Hermione frowned, "We need to check with the Headmaster to let him know it's gone see if he pulled it."

The caught up with Dumbledore as he was leaving breakfast and told them what they'd discovered.

"No, I haven't moved the plaque," Dumbledore looked off into the distance before smiling down at them, "Perhaps Professor Snape's words held more power than we imagined. I'm sure all is right. Head on to your exams."

Knowing they wouldn't get anything out of the Headmaster, they ran off to do just that.

§§§§§

It was lunchtime when the Aurors came for Snape.

Harry and Malfoy had made eye contact across the room, both of them preparing to stand up. He wasn't sure what either of them planned to do – neither of their names had made it into the media – but he could tell that Malfoy was just as determined that nothing would happen to Snape as he was.

Dumbledore succeeded in catching both of their attention and stopping them. It was for the best, especially since Snape was back by dinner that evening.

After dinner, Harry ran into Malfoy outside of Snape's office. The blond didn't look at all surprised to see him there.

"He's not here, Potter," Malfoy turned and waved for him to follow, "come on, I'll show you the way."

Watching him walk away, Harry fought his normal reactions and rushed to catch up. "Where are we going?"

"His evening lab," Malfoy led him deeper into the dungeon eventually stopping at a door close to the Slytherin Common Room.

The door opened before either could knock.

"Get in here," Snape huffed.

The door shut behind them, and Snape swooped around them, blocking Harry from seeing the lab arms were crossed, but a small grin curved his lips.

"I expected Malfoy to find me, but not you, Potter."

Harry shrugged, "Malfoy showed me the way."

Snape shot a surprised look at the blond but didn't comment on the change in their behaviour. "I'm sure you wish to know what happened today and I know neither of you has the patience to wait for the Prophet tomorrow. I was questioned by the DMLE as I was named by the others. Auror Shacklebolt led the questioning. I was commended and sent on my way cleared of charges."

Relief coursed through Harry, making him grin at Snape before sharing a nod with Malfoy.

§§§§§

The paper the next morning was indeed enlightening – far more than the bare-bone that Snape had told him. The front page was splashed full of pictures, several of them of the ones who had joined Snape, the robes that the Potions Master had created on full display.

Harry devoured the story just like everyone else at the table. He wanted to know what happened after he'd left.

"Of course Professor Dumbledore sorted everything out," Seamus said as he flipped the paper open.

Harry couldn't help but chuckle when Seamus' jaw fell at the picture of Snape and Dumbledore in their robes. To him it was obviously after the fact – they never stood like that during the battle – but the photographer had done a good job of making it look authentic. Even the square was reformed, but there was no Gryffindor corner shown, that section was nipped off.

Skipping over the battle descriptions, Harry moved on to the aftermath. Not too many were injured, the ones that they had moved off the side had been seen to, the wands – which Albus had asked him for yesterday morning – returned unless they were on their way to trial. And all of the Death Eaters were having a trial.

Harry worried a bit for Malfoy since this would be hard on the other teen's family, but he knew he'd support Draco if need be. Not Lucius though.

Closing the paper, he focused on his breakfast. The train was coming today and Harry was dreading returning to the Dursleys' early._ 'Maybe I can convince them to let me stay until the end of the school year? The true one?'_

Ron leant closer to him and whispered, "Do you want to come to my place this summer? I mean, it's not like you have to return to your relatives' place for your safety. And, to be honest, mate, I think it'd be safer for you to not go back."

Relief course through him. "Sure, Ron, I'd love to."

Ron's gaze narrowed slightly and he moved even closer, "Do you want to move in? Mum won't mind, and Dad will help us get the rest of your stuff from their place."

It was too good to be true, and Harry knew he had to be dreaming, but he it was an offer he couldn't refuse. "If your Mum will have me, yes."

"No worries, but we'll ask when we get there," Ron grinned from ear to ear.

Feeling lighter, Harry finished his breakfast. The summer was looking a lot better.


End file.
